


To Paint a Picture

by Coasilous03



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: -laughs evily- now the sinners will come to me, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Horrortale (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Swapfell (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Underfell (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Underswap (Undertale), Arguments, Bets, Brotherly Love, But Blue and Black are pretty good, But an honorable one, Cats, Doomfanger - Freeform, Drinking, Edge is a bitch, F/F, F/M, Fire, Fluff, Grillby's Restaurant (Undertale), Growling, I love writing interactions between the skeles can u tell??, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, M/M, Mutt is a hoe, Mutt is a huge instigator, Painting, Papyrus and Edge are.... not the best chefs, Post-Undertale Pacifist Route, Purring, Reader Is Not Frisk (Undertale), Reader is a painter, Reverse Harem, Shenanigans, Skeleton Puns, Skull has dad energy, Slow Burn, Sudden Surprise Sleepovers, They.... Lowkey kinda animalistic and i fuckin love writing that, Tsundere Edge, Undertale Monsters on the Surface, Undyne and Alphys are adorable, also they are all extremely big so, artist woes, at some point??, bara, can finally add that tag, dipping my toes into more unique characterization for these fools, edge has big dick energy, eventually??, i... love her, sans is stinky.........., skelebros
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:00:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 38
Words: 42,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23386258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Coasilous03/pseuds/Coasilous03
Summary: Being an artist in Ebott city has a few perks. Monsters, which were a friendly nation of creatures trapped underground, have surfaced, and your town is now teeming with activity. Each commission from them is an experience, telling a story that is uniquely them. Getting a commission from a resident of a house full of skeletons, however, is another story entirely. Especially when they seem just a tad bit too interested in you.[Back from that hiatus!! Thanks for sticking with this story, I can't believe it's gotten so much love in just a handful on months <:'). Updates once a week]
Relationships: Alphys/Undyne (Undertale), Papyrus (Undertale)/Reader, Sans (Undertale)/Reader
Comments: 519
Kudos: 1378





	1. Artist's Alley

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Bones, Picked Clean](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11692404) by [lulu-writes (luluwrites)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/luluwrites/pseuds/lulu-writes). 

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You've set up shop at your city's artisan market when a shy monster stops by.  
> *She seems nice.

You shifted in your seat, legs slightly bumping the canvas in front of you. The sun beat down on your back as you worked, each stroke of the paintbrush careful and articulate. The beautiful sunset started to take shape, rolling from fuschia to ruby to honey behind tall, dark mountains on your canvas.

The Artist's Alley, a popular artisan market held each summer in the city, displayed the most talented local artists open for commissions. To get more business, many artists like yourself showcased their best works during the market. It was a weekend long, and was free for anyone to visit and look around. 

And while you needed commissions and paid work, you enjoyed painting little index cards for any kids that stopped by, wonder filling their eyes.

As you picked more paint up onto your brush, a stout figure stopped at your booth. You looked up at them, and they averted their gaze to photographs of murals you made for the library.

She was a yellow lizard woman in a black and white polka-dot dress, with round glasses perched on her snout. She had a small pair of buck-teeth poking out and the back of her head flared out into three spikes. 

She also looked incredibly nervous.

"H-hi," she spoke up. Her voice was a bit nasally, but not unpleasantly so. "I-I just wanted t-to say that I... I r-really like your art."

You smiled warmly at that. If she wasn't interested in commissions and was overcoming her nervousness to compliment you, you were charmed. 

"Thank you so much!" you chirped. "It's my job, but I enjoy it so much it doesn't even feel like work. You know what I mean?"

She let some tension fall off of her shoulders. "Y-yeah, I d-do! It's nice to t-turn your passion into your career, isn't it?"

You nodded and set your paintbrush down. "Do you paint as a living, too?"

She shook her paws, shaking her head. "O-oh, no, I'm t-th-the royal scientist. I do dr-draw as a hobby, though."

Your eyebrows raised and you stood, pushing out the stool. You were more than a head taller than her. "You're the royal scientist? Like, Asgore's scientist?" You've always been curious about monster kind. Sometimes, you'd discretely sit in a Walmart's McDonalds and draw any interesting monsters you saw in the checkout lines. You couldn't help it- they were so unique and interesting. There were no two monsters that looked the same, and they made for amazing muses.

She blushed at your enthusiasm, putting a hand on the back of her neck. "Y-yeah! It's no big d-deal, though."

"No big deal? It's awesome!" You tried to wrangle in some of your enthusiasm, hoping not to scare away what might be your first monster friend. You tugged your phone out of your bag. "Can I please have your number?"

She looked at the phone, caught off guard. You almost thought she was going to say no.

Then, she smiled sheepishly and took it. Her hands were small, yet they had sharp, pointed claws. You briefly wondered how she'd use your phone, then chalked it up to magic as she tapped away.

She handed your phone back to you, and you noticed it was slightly damp from her clammy palm. She'd put her contact name in as "Alphys".

"S-so..." she began, then looked around for a second for a conversation topic anxiously. You decided to spare her.

"Do you see anything you like?" you asked, gesturing to smaller prints of canvas work you'd done. Though many people liked your work, they couldn't afford murals or having their bedrooms painted, so you'd made a few canvas works and sold prints of them.

She stared up at them from where they sat, hanging towards the top of your small booth. They were mostly impressionism, views of the ocean, the forest, and one even being a view of Mt. Ebott. Each had many delicate, small strokes of vivid colors. You loved impressionism, but couldn't do it in your murals or it would take years to complete one.

She sucked in a breath. "W-wow... those a-are amazing!" She looked back to you, and the determination in her eyes surprised you. "H-how have I not heard of you before?!"

You flushed slightly at the compliment and watched as she put her clenched fists down in front of her chest in enthusiasm. "D-do you have a website? If not, i-it would be a good idea to start one. I-I could even g-give you pointers!"

You laughed. "Oh, no worries, I already have one!" You reached behind you and pulled a card off of a shelf. She took it, smiling, and tucked it away into the small messenger bag at her side. 

"Oh, th-thanks! I'll be sure to ch-check it-" 

"Alphys!!! This guy made tiny fucking houses-" A rugged yet pitched voice stopped right outside your booth. A large, tall blue woman stared down at you. 

Her skin was covered in small scales and red fins jutted out from the sides of her head, the same color as her long, wild plume of hair, tied back. Her eye, the one not covered by an eyepatch, was scrutinizing and almost wild.

"U-U-Undyne! S-sorry for splitting off, I-I-I noticed-d this h-human's a-art, a-a-and..." she stuttered off, yet this "Undyne" laughed, clapping a hand on her shoulder. 

"No harm done, babe!" Her grin was full of sharp teeth. Looking around your booth, she let out a whistle, before looking at you. You fought from recoiling under her gaze. "You're real good, human."

You thanked her and handed her a card just like you had Alphys. She took it, stared at your name, and tucked it into Alphys's messenger bag.

They stayed for a few more minutes, asking questions about you and your job, before Undyne ducked out and Alphys followed. The lizard woman looked back at you, smiled, and waved, and you happily waved back.

You sat back at the counter, shifted on the stool, and picked the paintbrush back off of the counter with a sigh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whenever I write Alphys's dialogue I literally say it out loud with a stutter to see where the stutter seems natural. It helps but boy do I look like a god damn clown.


	2. Finding Opportunities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After three months of knowing her, Alphys asks a favor of you.  
> *What could go wrong?

Being friends with Alphys was fun. Both of you had similar hobbies, like watching shows, playing videogames late into the night, eating stomach-churning food combos out of pure boredom, and drawing. Obviously.

Along with her girlfriend, you both loved anime. The three of you would sometimes sit down in their shared apartment and watch one of their favorite animes, Tokyo Mew Mew, until two in the morning.

For a while in early August, when the days were hottest, Alphys had been disappeared from the face of the earth. She had hastily explained that a friend of hers was having "family issues" and she was helping him sort things out.

You had been concerned, but she had convinced you to shrug it off. Over the past two or so months of knowing Alphys, you'd come to see that she was always willing to put a good foot forwards, and tried to help whenever she could.

After about two weeks of very little talk, however, she called and asked you if you'd wanted to come to hers for a videogame marathon, and you'd gotten a good friend back.

It was only once you returned to hanging out with her that you realized how little time you spent relaxing. Resuming your hangouts helped you enjoy yourself, and took stress off your shoulders you hadn't even realized was there.

You also were a bit more busy under the commissions department, due to Alphys telling a few people about your work. You finally got to socialize with monsters and loved it, finding their kind and communal nature a welcome change from humans who'd talk to you rudely, acting demanding and entitled.

Most were interested in your murals, and you quickly realized that most monsters were loaded. Underground, monsters used gold as their currency, which had immense value on the surface. What surprised you most, however, was the fact that monsters still worked. They didn't seem to care about the salary; they simply wanted to be productive, contributing citizens. 

You wished more humans were like that.

Even Alphys, whose entire job was studying ways to get monsters to the surface, remained the royal scientist despite having no true purpose. She liked being the royal scientist immensely, so you had no reason to question her on it.

Your hands, a bit sore from all the tedious strokes of brushes the past month, were a bit slow as you held the controller as you sat on the floor in Alphys's room. You unconsciously leaned into every turn you made and Alphys did the same, playfully ribbing each other as you competed in a new racing game.

She unquestionably won over you and you sagged dramatically, admitting defeat. She stood, likely to get more snacks from the kitchen, but stopped in the doorway.

"Uhm... c-can I ask something o-of you?" she stammered. You nodded.

"Okay, uh... My friend has a co-cousin who's, like, r-really into stars a-and space, and wants t-to have his room painted. Would, uh, would you be able to do it?" She was pointedly averting your eyes.

You'd painted many bedrooms in your life, and your room was painted with the ocean, covered in flowing waves and glow-in-the-dark jellyfish. It was a long process, but you loved doing it.

You smiled at her, and she visibly relaxed. "Sure thing! What's he like?"

Alphys grinned. "He's really... enthusiastic. Th-the whole household is. I fi-figured that since you hang out with me you'd met them eventually, but I'd wanted t-to introduce you u-under... co-controlled circumstances."

"The whole household? He got a big family? Any annoying kids?" your smile quirked. As much as you loved kids, you knew from experience that working on a room while they were constantly trying to pester you always lead to disaster. Paint-covered disaster. You held back a shudder.

Alphys mulled over the question for a moment, hand flexing where it gripped the wall. "Te-technically, they're his family. All a-about the same age, in fact. Besides the f-fact that t-two of them are r-really good friends of mine, I-I don't know any of them p-personally."

You cocked a brow. "Are they the friends you were helping out with "family business"?" You knew it wasn't your place to pry, and would drop it if she showed any signs of nervousness, but her dropping off the face of the earth like that did have you slightly worried.

She nodded. "Yeah. His name's Sans. M-my friend, I mean. Not the one w-who wants you to p-paint his wall. A f-few more of his... cousins moved in w-with him last month, and he n-needed some h-help figuring out... uh... their living situation." She wrung her hands together. "They're all r-really... uh... some... some of them don't g-get along too well."

She gulped and looked down, gaze hard like she was recalling some terrible event. "At all."

"I've heard from Sans that s-some arguments have developed into... f-full-on wars in that house. He's a r-really laid-back guy, too. I feel k-kind of bad for him." Alphys looked back up at you. "I-I get it if y-you don't want to deal with... a-all that."

You realized that Alphys wasn't just telling you about them, she was warning you. Telling you what to expect. You immensely appreciated it; you can list a few jobs you wouldn't have taken if you knew about the... surrounding environment. 

You smiled warmly. "Thanks for letting me know, Alphys, but I can handle occasional spats as long as they don't involve me." Alphys was always like that, looking after people's comfort and making sure they weren't nervous. It made you thankful that you had asked for her number.

She gave a slightly nervous smile of her own. "Th-they are good people- mo-most of them are, anyway. I-I-I'm sure it's nothing you c-can't handle." She looked down for a moment. "I s-should ask Sans for his cousin's n-number. You can call him b-before you go over there."

You smiled and thanked her, and she waddled off to the kitchen. "You know, I can handle a little bit of mayhem every once in a while!" you laughed. She sighed a bit, and you heard the fridge opening.

"Just don't say I d-didn't warn you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two updates in one day to celebrate the new story!! Really hope you guys are likin' it!


	3. The More, the Merrier

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You, Alphys and Undyne drive over to the skeletons' house.  
> *They seem to be a fun bunch.

A few days and one eager phone call with someone named "Blue" later, you, Alphys and Undyne drove to a large log cabin along the edge of a forest just south of town. The path was a thin dirt road that led along the edge of the woods, twisting and turning with the occasional driveway peaking from between the trees. The jeep took a turn slightly uphill, and you rolled up to the surprisingly full drive-way. A pair of motorcycles, a dingy little beetle, a moped, and two strikingly well-kept convertibles sat under the warm sun.

Undyne led you to the wood door and kicked it open loudly. "Get your asses out here, weenies!"

Footsteps thundered down the stairs, and two skeletons lept from the staircase. Despite their jarring choice of clothing, you realized you had to look up to meet their eyes. 

The one on the left was probably over seven feet, clad in tight jeans and a white shirt with the word "awesome" on it, a red scarf wrapped around his neck. His skull was long and narrow, with two small, expressive sockets over large, straight teeth. 

On the right was a stouter one, probably a head taller than you, wearing blue shorts and a yellow shirt. A cute turquoise bandana was around his neck, and his large eyesockets held big blue rings. He had a wide smile and a round, kind face.

"UNDYNE!" yelled the taller one, and his volume appalled you. "I'M SO GLAD YOU AND ALPHYS COULD MAKE IT. AND YOU BROUGHT A STRANGER WITH YOU!" He looked at you with small, yet expressive eye sockets. "HELLO STRANGER! I'M PAPYRUS."

You smiled and introduced yourself. The rounder one beamed. "OH! YOU'RE THE HUMAN I TALKED TO ON THE PHONE! YOU'LL ACTUALLY BE PAINTING MY ROOM?" When you nodded, his eyes morphed into god-honest stars and he shrieked. "OHMYGOD I'M SO EXCITED." The two quickly ushered you inside, Undyne laughing under her breath.

Probably roused from all the commotion at the door, another skeleton rose from the couch in the living room. You figured this might be Sans, as he fit Alphys's description pretty well.

He was the same height as Blue, but he slouched. At the moment, he was wearing a ratty blue jacket, a black shirt that said "ask your mom about me", basketball shorts and dusty pink slippers. He smelt indescribable.

"hey al, 'dyne. this the painter you were talkin' 'bout?" he drawled. His voice rumbled, very deep and lax. You noticed, however, the slightest rigidness in his posture, probably from seeing it in Alphys.

"Hell yeah, it is!" Undyne laughed, slapping a solid hand on your shoulder that you buckled under slightly. Undyne had a bit of a habit of under estimating her strength, and your joints weren't too happy about that. "This human is such an amazing artist, it's crazy cool!"

You flushed a bit at the compliment, smiling. "Aw, shucks, Undyne." Chuckling, you held out a hand that Sans, Papyrus, and Blue all shook. The grip was odd, their thin, hard fingers foreign. They lightly sunk into the flesh of your palm.

Soon, the six of you were sat at their large white table, where you told them your estimated price and time, which they easily agreed to. You showed them various photographs of murals you'd done in the past, which they awed at.

Then another loud voice roared with pounding footsteps on the stairs. "IS THAT A DAMN HUMAN?!" 

A third, even taller skeleton stomped into the dining room. He wore all black, a chain hooked on his ripped black jeans slightly covered by a stiff leather jacket. He reminded you of ghost rider, and you would have snorted if you weren't startled.

His face was slim but his teeth were large and sharp. Two proud cracks stemmed from a narrowed eyesocket. You noticed that, under the scowling features, he bore a striking resemblance to Papyrus.

Across from you, Blue stood. "THIS HUMAN IS THE ONE THAT'S GOING TO PAINT MY ROOM!" He looked defensive.

The new, scary skeleton looked Blue up and down for a second. "THAT MEANS THIS HUMAN WILL BE HERE... OFTEN?" His voice dropped an octave to a warningly low tone, not even addressing you.

Blue nodded, and the new guy actually growled as he turned his head slightly to glare down his nose-ridge at you. "...THEN MAKE SURE IT STAYS AWAY FROM ME."

And with that, he stomped back up the stairs before shutting a door loudly. You turn to see that Undyne had risen from her chair just like Blue had, a sharp scowl on her face. "I fucking hate that guy," she growled. "Always starting shit just to tick people off."

Blue frowned. "HE CAN BE TACTFUL WHEN HE HAS TO." Papyrus off-handedly scolded her for swearing.

The blue woman scoffed, dropping back into her chair. "Tactful? More like asshole. He's an entitled little-"

"hey, hey, no need fer name callin'," drawled another voice. You turned, and another skeleton stood in the doorway. Just how many skeletons are there?

He was thickly built, untied sneakers crossed over basketball short-clad legs. He had a warm sweater underneath a heavy jacket with a fur-trimmed hood. Oddly enough, a solid-looking collar sat around his neck.

He was tall, and you looked up to meet his lax yet intense gaze. One socket was empty save for a faint, quivering light, where the other one held a small ring of red. His teeth were sharp, and a gold tooth sat at the side of his grinning maw.

He sounded a little angry, staring Undyne down, and you noticed that the fur on his jacket was bristling, almost like a flame, but of a warm grey color as opposed to any reds or oranges. You mentally shrugged, chalking it up to magic.

They stared at each other for a moment before, surprisingly, Undyne backed off. "Whatever," she grumbled. The new skeleton turned to you.

"so, you's the new human that's gonna paint baby blue's room, eh?" his grin relaxed a little, into a casual gesture. "sorry fer that. my little bro can be kinda harsh ta people he don't know."

You heard Undyne scoff behind you but she didn't comment.

The skeleton in front of you held out a hand. "i'm red. nice ta meetcha'."

You gave your name, grabbed his hand, and a loud fart ripped through the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So much good feedback already? Ya'll are too good. Hope you liked this one, and that you enjoy reading the skeletons as much as I do writing them.  
> (Also, to clear things up, I'm using the official underfell creator's design for sans cause I fuckin....... love it sm. @underfell on Tumblr.)


	4. A Sit-Down Discussion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and the skeletons discuss the plan for the next few weeks.  
> *You wonder how many skeletons could live under one roof.

"so, lemmie get this straight," Red began, pressing his hands together in front of his face. "you're gonna drive for an hour from yer place to here, paint all fuckin' day long, then drive an hour home?"

You nodded, staring down at the contract on the table. Since the house was under his name, Sans had signed it, and Blue had filled sections out since he was the one commissioning. 

Papyrus and Undyne had sprinted off after chuckling hushedly across the table for a few minutes. You hoped nothing was set on fire, but that thought was probably in vain.

"THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT," commented Blue. He looked slightly worried. "YOU'RE SURE YOU DON'T WANT ANY OF US TO DRIVE YOU? WE CERTAINLY COULD."

You put up a hand. "I can manage. It may be a bit tedious, but I can handle it. I appreciate the offer, but it won't be necessary. Trust me."

He seemed a little skeptical, but grinned anyway. "IF YOU'RE SURE!" He looked down at the contract. "SO IT'LL TAKE THREE WEEKS?"

You nodded. Murals usually took much longer, as they were so much larger and were at the mercy of the elements. You liked painting indoors more; you could focus more on the actual painting process and less on preserving it.

"Yep! Excluding the day or two it would take me to get all of my supplies purchased and moved into the room, it should only take a few weeks. Of course, I wouldn't come every day, but I'd be here on most days of the week." You liked being prompt, and even then three weeks was a little bit of a stretch. Each wall would probably take about four days, but you liked giving yourself wiggle room.

Sans, who you thought had drifted off, lifted his head. "plus the time it would take blue to move all his stuff to the guest room."

Blue perked up. "OH, I ALREADY MOVED EVERYTHING. AND COVERED UP MY BED AND DESK." 

Everyone looked at him silently. 

He deflated slightly. "W-WHAT?"

Red cocked a brow. "you know she ain't gonna start right away, right?"

Blue stared at him for a second, before what could only be described as a magic, embarrassed blush turned his face a bright blue. "O-OH, I,... I KNEW THAT! I, JUST, UH, J-JUST WANTED TO BE..."

Oh, now you felt bad, and it wasn't even your doing. "H-hey, no, it's fine! I'm actually just wrapping up with my last work. I could probably start setting up here..." you thought for a second. "Four days? Does that sound okay?"

His face lit up and the stars reformed in his eyes. "REALLY? THAT SOON?" And when you nodded, he whined in glee.

It struck you that he almost acted like a child, but you didn't see him like that. Maybe it was his sheer height, deep-ish voice, or the fact that he had commissioned you to paint his entire room, but you found yourself struggling to see him as immature as opposed to... excitable.

There was a muffled cough at the doorway, and you turned to see another skeleton. This, you thought, was getting to be a bit much. He was just as tall as Papyrus but was slouching against the doorway, wearing a thick orange hoodie, long black sweats, and a grey beanie on his head. 

He rolled a sucker between his teeth, and you saw a weird, orange tongue as he pulled it out of his mouth and looked at Blue "who's, uh, who's this? didn't know we were... h-havin' guests over."

Blue's grin quirked a bit but remained. "BROTHER, THIS IS THE HUMAN THAT'S GOING TO BE PAINTING MY BEDROOM!" 

He turned to you. "HUMAN, THIS IS MY BROTHER." He paused, and his expression became odd. "STRETCH."

You introduced yourself for the third time that day and smiled. Stretch chuckled nervously. "'s good to meetcha'."

His eye lights shifted to the side. "so.. y-you, uh..." he gulped, a redundant action. "...so you're a painter?"

The room was silent for a second, and this reminded you again of Alphys. She had scooted off after Undyne and Papyrus, but you imagined she might get along with Stretch. It also was obvious that, like Alphys, he was trying to stomp his nerves down and socialize, so you accepted the awkward, somewhat cute attempt at conversation.

"Yep! I've got my degree and everything. It's really fun; freelancing's been working out so much better than working for my old company." He visibly sagged in relief as you engaged. 

Shuffling slowly, he took the seat across from Sans, who had once again drifted off in his place next to you. When did he get there?

"you been freelancin' fer long?" asked Red, and you honestly hadn't expected him to be interested. His stare moved from watching Stretch to you, his red eye flicking from your eyes to your mouth as you spoke. This felt like an interview, but not quite an interrogation.

"Almost five years now. I graduated from school pretty young, and didn't stay with the logo company that hired me for very long." You cheekily grinned at the memory of your boss's gross, greasy face as you turned in your two-week notice. "My boss's face when I quit was priceless. It felt great."

Red chuckled. "well, what 'bout the whole starvin' artist trope? ya sure ya ain't poor 'r somethin'?" His tone was playful, but the words were harsh. If you were different, you might have been a bit offended at the assumption.

"Nope," you said cooly. "I've got a lot of business. Especially since Alphys has been telling her friends about me, I've been busy."

"THAT'S REALLY NICE OF HER! THAT'S HOW YOU'RE HERE, RIGHT?" Blue asked.

"Yep, she told me about you guys," you replied. "She said you guys were a rowdy bunch, too."

They were silent for a second before Red laughed loudly. "sweetheart," he winked, "you don't know the half of it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is kind of a transition chapter, but I finally introduced my fav skele~ Also if Blue isn't best boy??????


	5. What Happens in a Lowes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You go to your local Lowes to do some shopping for Blue's room.  
> *Seems the scary skeleton went to Lowes, too.

Before you left the skeletons' house, you looked at the room in question, taking vague measurements and getting a sense of what Blue wanted, mentally noting colors you'd need to get. 

After Undyne and Alphys dropped you off at your house, you drove to the home of your other customer. You'd just finished painting flames of her fireplace and wrapped up by checking to see if the sealant was dry and accepting her payment.

Once home, you had just finished showering when Alphys texted you, asking about how the skeletons were when she wasn't with you. You assured her that they were fine and you had planned everything out.

The next morning, you set off to Lowes. After checking your list out, you shoved it into your pocket and pushed a cart towards the paint aisle automatically.

You've loved the paints since you were a child, fingerpainting in your room. You were honestly so glad that you could turn your passion into a profitable career - you'd hate life if you were stuck in some boring cubicle eight hours a day.

The paint cans were on sale, which only boosted your enthusiasm. After picking up different shades of pink, purple and blue, you picked out a pair of rollers and a paint pan. The paint cans were massive and heavy, quickly weighing down your cart after you painstakingly carried them from their shelves.

Brushes were next on your list, but as you walked down the aisle a figure stood out at you. Tall, dark clothes, pale fac- oh my god it's the scary skeleton.

You quickly averted your eyes to the shelf next to you, where the paintbrushes sat, and picked out a few large ones all while trying not to notice him slowly walking your way. He seemed focused on whatever he was looking at on the shelf so you snuck past, ducking into the next aisle and nabbing an airbrush kit.

You turned back to the paint aisle, to find a faster route to the check-out, and almost ran right into the modern Skeletor. He jumped back, which was kind of funny, before seeing it was you and growling.

"GREAT, IT'S YOU AGAIN. WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING, TRYING TO RUN ME OVER?" His eye sockets narrowed. "ARE YOU STALKING ME, HUMAN?"

You were taken aback by his ferocity but didn't let your anger (or faint fear) bubble to the surface. "Oh, I'm really sorry about almost running into you. I'm just here buying supplies to paint Blue's room."

Looking down, you noticed that he held a literal god-damn scythe, one of the ones used for cutting grass. "I, uh... I like your scythe."

He shifted it in his hand, almost like he was remembering it was there. "OBVIOUSLY, I CHOSE IT OUT. BUT YOU'D KNOW THAT, STALKER," he hissed accusingly.

You shook your head. "I'm not stalking you! I just came to buy paints. Besides, how could I be stalking you if I didn't even know your name?" It was an irrelevant point to make but you made it, both to give you that slight back up and to see if you could actually get his name. It seems like it didn't do either.

"HAH, THAT'S JUST A PLOY TO GET ME TO TELL YOU MY NAME! UNLESS MY SHITTY BROTHER OR ONE OF THE OTHER IDIOTS TELLS YOU, YOU'LL NEVER KNOW." His shoulders rolled back, appearing victorious, but you just shrugged.

"Okay, I'll ask one of them next time I see them."

He growled. "NO, YOU WON'T!"

"Says who?"

"SAYS ME!"

"Who's 'me'?" You chuckled.

"ME!" he growled. "ME, EDGE!"

You were silent for a second, and his face went from infuriated to surprised, then right back to infuriated. "GOD DAMNIT!" You watched him stomp off, scythe clenched tight in his hand. It would have been a scary sight for someone who hadn't just played him like a damn fiddle. As he disappeared behind some shelves you saw a man almost trip over himself to get out of the angry skeleton's way.

With "Edge" gone, you rushed off to the registers. One had just opened and you tucked yourself into their lane, loading paint can after paint can onto the conveyor belt.

You peaked behind you to see if anyone else had come up after you once you were finished loading all your stuff, and there stood Edgemeister, silently glaring daggers at you. You decided that if he wanted to say anything, he would, so you simply smiled and placed the divider behind your items.

He seemed almost shocked that you didn't say anything, and you turned while he not-so-subtly examined your purchases. You simply ignored his scrutiny and paid for your items, before performing the daunting task of loading each paint can back into your cart. The handle dug into your palms and you winced, dropping it into the cart quickly.

However, when you turned back, Edge was picking one up in each hand and effortlessly setting them in. You placed the rollers and tray in there as he finished with the paint cans and set the airbrush box on top.

"...HUMAN," he began lowly, not looking you in the eyes. "I... WHAT I SAID WAS UNCALLED FOR. I AM... USED TO EXPECTING THE WORST OF STRANGERS."

He stared down at his feet, but since he was taller than you, you could see his eyes glaring, like he was forcing out an apology despite himself. While he probably didn't mean it (didn't sound like he did), you smiled anyway and chuckled in a way that had him looking at you, surprised. "Well, I'm not a stranger anymore."

And, like before, you held out your hand and gave him your name.

He hesitantly took it. You both finished checking out, and he helped you load your items into the back of your car.

"Why'd you help me?" you asked.

He shook his head. "I'M ONLY PAYING YOU BACK FOR BEING RUDE. I... DON'T LIKE OWING ANYONE."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothin' better than goin' to Lowes with the boys. This chapter is kinda silly, so I thought it would make a good April Fool's chapter. Also, almost 500 hits and 90 kudos? You guys are awesome :)


	6. A Smooth Start

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day has come to finally begin painting Blue's room.  
> *Some of these skeletons really like space.

The next two days passed in a blur of gathering all your supplies, talking with Blue over the phone, and coming up with some designs and palettes for the room. As much as you wanted to get to the actual painting process, the preparations were a vital part of the procedure.

But finally, the day rolled around as you pulled up to their full driveway. Blue and Papyrus were there to help carry the various cans, brushes, and other supplies up the two flights of stairs to Blue's room. The bed and desk had been covered with tarps, which were taped down securely. The rest of the room's walls were a light tan. Thankfully, you had brought more than one can of white paint; you'd have to paint the whole thing white first to start with a clean slate. 

You let Blue look through a few concept pieces you had made as you slipped off your cardigan, revealing the thin tank top and shorts underneath. These were your "junk clothes" as you liked to call them; they were covered in old paint stains and colorful smears, lovingly used when working to prevent stains on any of your nicer clothes. 

Blue stared as you walked over and took a few seconds before he looked down at the pile of papers in front of him. 

"I-I REALLY LIKE THESE TWO. THEY'RE THE MOST COLORFUL, AND I LIKE THE STARS." He handed you two of the more complicated designs, and you thanked him as you took them. You liked them as well, admiring how the colors swirled to create distant galaxies while remaining simple and vibrant. 

"I'll keep that in mind, Blue." The rest went into your bag to either sell or hang up in your staircase. 

You looked around the room for a second. All your supplies were in order, a stool was tucked into one corner, and the walls were clear and ready for primer. "Is there anything else you need before I get started?" 

Blue's eye lights shifted around the room in the same way yours did, before settling on you. He started looking nervous, before clearing his throat. "I'D L-LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS. EVEN BEFORE WE GOT... MOVED HERE, I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO HAVE A ROOM COVERED IN STARS." 

He looked reminiscent for a moment, as if recalling a fond memory. "IN THE UNDERGROUND, WE DIDN'T HAVE STARS... OR SPACE. I ALWAYS DREAMED OF SEEING THEM FOR MYSELF, AND NOW THAT I'M ON THE SURFACE, I'M EVEN MORE FASCINATED BY THEM." You smiled, understanding how he felt. 

The underground was completely cut off from the rest of the world, and as a result monsters didn't experience so many of the things you were used too; they had no vehicles or skies, no birds or any seasons. Once they surfaced, they were thrust into a new, unfamiliar world that they could discover. The first few months, you'd often see a monster staring at cars or sitting down, looking right up at the sky in wistful fascination. 

"I'm happy I can do this for you. Space is amazing - it never ends, and it's so pretty!" you said. "Plus, I'll admit that I love painting space. I'm really excited to do this." 

Blue's smile was wide, reaching his eyes. "THEN DON'T HOLD BACK YOUR CREATIVE INSTINCTS!" He threw his arms out wide and dramatically. "THE WORLD IS YOUR CANVAS," he winked, "AND RIGHT NOW, SO IS MY BEDROOM." 

He walked to the door. "I'LL BE IN THE LIVING ROOM IF YOU NEED ME." He almost shut the door behind him, but paused and peaked his head in. "HAVE FUN, HUMAN!" 

You smiled. "Will do!" 

The door shut loudly behind him, and you turned to look at your new project. You always liked to take things in for a second. You ran your hands along the smooth walls, opened the windows to let the light rays of sun in, and slid the bed and large desk out from the walls out so you could put primer in those areas. 

You huffed after moving the bed, then set about popping the lid off your can of primer and pouring a large amount into your paint pan. Ripping the paper off of the roller, you moved it through the primer and moved to the wall across from the door. 

The light outside cast gentle rays onto the dark blue carpeted floor, and the smallest of dust particles drifted in the air. A small lock of hair fell from your bun into your face. Birds chirped on outside. 

"hey, got a minute?" said a low voice from behind you. You jumped, and whipped around to see Sans leaning against the doorway. A thick, rolled-up poster was tucked under one arm. 

You put a hand on your chest. "Oh, Sans, you startled me." Under your hand, you could feel the rough texture of old, dried paints on your tank top. 

"huh, guess i caught'cha when ya _spaced out_." he chucked. "anyways, i wanted to ask ya somethin'." 

He slowly shuffled to where you stood. The rolled-up poster under his arm jostled, and you noticed it was laminated. 

"so, blue's _sirius-ly_ fascinated with space stuff, an' so am i," he began, his eye lights rolling to the side. "so i wanted to see if you could add somethin' _out of this world_ to his room. somethin' that would really blow his mind." 

He moved the rolled-up poster from under his arm and handed it to you. Rolling it out on the ground, it was a star map, complete with different constellations and planets in relation to Earth. 

"s' not the most accurate thing, but it'd be cool to have 'em in some order, right?" he shrugged. "just an idea." 

You smiled up at him. "It's a great idea." A lock of hair fell over your eye and you brushed it away slowly.

He was silent for a second, before he winked. " _jupiter_ believe it was."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo, 100 kudos!!! I'm really glad you guys are enjoying this story! Now, we finally get into p r i m e - s k e l e t o n - c o n t e n t...


	7. Small White Patches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few of the skeleton brothers visit you while you're priming up the walls.  
> *You appreciate the company.

After Sans left, you'd begun applying a thick coat of primer to the walls, then sat down and waited for it to dry, drawing up a few more concept pieces in your sketchbook with the choices Blue had given you.

When the primer was dry, you went about pouring the white paint into the pan the primer had been in and dipping the roller. Every once in awhile, you'd stick your hands in, smearing the walls in white hand-prints. 

This was one of the few times in the painting process where it didn't matter how smooth or even the coat was; the coat just had to be there for the painting to look right.

You giggled as you made a large bird out of handprints, trying to turn your wrists enough to make feathers sprouting from the bottom of the wings.

A knock on the door interrupted your childish actions, and Blue stepped in with a plate of food. He took one look at what you were doing, with half of the room painted white and you, sticking hand-prints on it, and chuckled.

"YOU SEEM TO BE HAVING FUN," he said, setting the plate down by your bag. "IS THIS ALL PART OF THE PROCESS?"

You nodded, smiling wryly. "It's a vital step to have a little fun."

You picked up one of the towels you had brought and wiped your hands; most of the paint came off easily, and you didn't care about the small patches left over. "You brought me lunch? Thank you."

Blue nodded. "I MADE IT MYSELF! I FIGURED YOU'D BE HUNGRY, AND I DIDN'T SEE A LUNCHBOX WITH YOU." 

The plate had a few tacos stacked on it, covered in cheese and sour cream. They'd be messy, but you hoped they were good. "That's sweet of you, Blue. I didn't even think about lunch." You smiled up at him.

His face turned a faint blue and he grinned, rubbing the back of his neck. "WELL, YOU NEED THE ENERGY. I-IT'S THE LEAST I CAN DO."

You giggled before reaching for the plate, picking up a taco and taking a bite. Blue watched you for your reaction. It wasn't the worst taco you'd had by any means; the meat was slightly spicy, mixing well with the lightness of the sour cream and the sweetness of some sort of salsa mixture you hadn't noticed.

Blue's grin widened as you took a second, larger bite, giving him a thumbs-up before swallowing. "Oh, this is really good, Blue! I didn't know you could cook."

"I LOVE COOKING! MY PREVIOUS TEACHER WASN'T... THE BEST, BUT HERE ON THE SURFACE I DID MY RESEARCH AND CAN NOW COOK BETTER THAN EVER." He gestured to the tacos. "AND, OF COURSE, TACOS ARE MY FAVORITE DISH TO PREPARE, SO I'M GLAD YOU..." He trailed off for a second, squinting at you, before shuffling over. "YOU... HAVE..." 

He brought his hand up, and carefully wiped at the corner of your mouth. His phalanges felt odd and strange, the small divots in the bone pressed against your cheek. For a second, his hand remained there, stroking your skin experimentally, before he dragged his hand away with a deeper flush on his face. You looked at him quizically. "YOU... AH, YOU HAD A BIT OF SOUR CREAM ON... ON YOUR FACE."

He chuckled nervously. "SORRY ABOUT THAT. I S-SHOULD HAVE ASKED."

You stirred out of your confused, slightly flustered gaze. "Ah, no, you're fine! I've always been pretty messy, thanks for, uh, getting that."

The two of you dipped into a momentary awkward silence before Blue cleared his throat, even though not needing to. "W-WELL, I BETTER GET- BETTER LEAVE YOU TO IT."

You nodded a bit excessively, then mentally facepalmed. "Y-yeah, I, uh, still have a lot to... to do..."

He walked to the door, face not changing from that vibrant blue. "WELL, G-GOOD LUCK."

The door closed slowly and quietly behind him. You heard him groan frustratedly on the other side of the door before his footsteps faded away.

You stood there, face warm for a few seconds, before shaking your head and polishing off the taco in your hands, licking your fingers before moving back to the roller.

Once finished with the walls, you sat down and finished the other two tacos off, willing your face to not burn each time your thought of Blue's delicate phalanges on your cheek. 

You found yourself making a conscious effort not to get anything on your face.

Someone else knocked on the door, and Stretch walked in. He eyed the empty plate. "you, uh... ya ate 'em? whaddya think of 'em?"

You smiled from your spot on the floor. "They were pretty good!"

He looked around the room, where the walls had a coat of patchy white. They didn't shine as much, so you figured it'd be a good time to start mixing some paints.

He watched you as you stood and started popping off paint cans, footsteps crinkling on the tarp you had laid out on the floor to prevent the carpet from getting stained.

"do ya... do this often?" he asked. 

He leaned against the wall in an obvious attempt to look casual, then cursed as his hoodie stuck to the wet paint. He stood up straight, and the back of his orange jacket was covered in white paint.

You giggled. "Careful, it's still wet in some spots." You threw a towel at him as he started apologizing. 

"Hey," you interrupted him, and he looked sheepishly at you. "It's no problem at all. I do it myself like, all the time."

You patted him on the back as you moved the roller over the new patches, covering them in a fresh layer of white. Stretch had his hoddie tugged around him awkwardly, wiping off the back as best as he could.

"It, uh..." you looked to the side, "It'll need to go in the washer."

He sounded exasperated, eye sockets closing. "y-yeah, i figured that much."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Goddamn Stretch, you messy bastard. (I love him so much tho)


	8. The End of the Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You wrap up day one, and meet the rest of the skeletons.  
> *Now to keep up with them

You only stopped working for the day when golden hour started trickling through the windows. Stretch had left to throw his hoodie in the wash and you didn't have the heart to tell him it wouldn't come out.

Paint covered your arms and hands, and you were certain there were white streaks on your face. Grabbing your bag, the roller, and the paint pan, you took one last look around the room.

The walls had two full coats of white, so tomorrow you could start laying down some background colors and creating basic shapes. You were thankful you'd planned it out a bit more; improvising on such an important part of the work wasn't always a great idea.

You tucked the roller and pan under one arm, slung your bag over the other, and let your gaze wander back to the open window, where Papyrus and Edge seemed to be huddled over something on the ground.

Opening the door, you meandered into the hallway, where the door across the hall was covered in scratches and dents. The door next to Blue's had an "occupied" sign on the doorknob, and the door adjacent, by the stairs, had a dog-tag hanging on its knob.

Walking down the stairs, and you noticed a new face in the living room. He looked very similar to Blue but was more formally dressed, like a bouncer or bodyguard. A pair of large, deep scars ran across one eye socket, filled by his purple eye-light.

He had gloves and boots, both black, to match his slacks. The top two buttons on his shirt were unbuttoned, and he has thrown his jacket onto the couch behind him.

He turned to stare at you as you made it down the stairs. Standing quickly, you noted he was also taller than you. Next to him, Blue waved at you. "FINISHED FOR TODAY?"

Nodding, you adjusted the load underneath your arm. "The base is all done. Just make sure no one goes in there - it reaks of paint and primer," you responded, then chuckled lightly, "or gets any more paint on their clothes."

Blue sighed, and the new skeleton, who has seemed to determine that you aren't a threat, flopped back onto the couch. "I HEARD ABOUT THAT. WILL IT COME OUT?"

You shook your head resignedly. "Not any time soon, I'm afraid."

The new skeleton turned to Blue. "WHO THE HELL IS THIS?" His voice was orotund and a bit scratchy, like he had been shouting and his voice was a little hoarse.

"THIS IS THE ARTIST WHO'S PAINTING MY ROOM FULL OF STARS!" Blue announced, and the new skeleton side-eyed you. 

You didn't offer your hand, but you gave him your name. He cocked a brow-ridge at you then laughed momentarily, amused by something you weren't aware of. "YOU CAN CALL ME BLACK."

His laugh seemed to wake someone up, and a face peered over the edge of the large couch in front of you. This skeleton looked similar to Edge but tired. Both of his fangs were golden and long, and a crack stemmed from one of them over his left eye.

He eyed you in a lazier way than Black had, then winked. "n' you can call me anytime," he purred. Black stamped his foot once, and the skeleton looked at him.

"DON'T EVEN START UP, MUTT. I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO SUFFER THROUGH YOUR ATTEMPTS AT FLATTERY," he warned. They held eye contact for a moment, but a low growl started rumbling from Black's throat, surprising you and making "Mutt" look down in resignation.

"sorry 'bout that..." he muttered. You adjusted the pan under your arm and looked at the door. 

"W-well, I better get going. I'll be back here tomorrow at about eleven, okay?" The tension was still sharp, but Blue jumped at the opportunity to break it.

"OF COURSE! TEXT ME WHEN YOU START HEADING OVER HERE, ALRIGHT?" He looked at you for a moment longer, and you were reminded once again of his blue blush as he had wiped the sour cream off of your cheek. "AND HAVE A SAFE RIDE HOME."

You smiled warmly. "Will do, Blue. See you tomorrow."

The front door closed quietly behind you.

In the yard, Edge and Papyrus were still looking at the ground. They looked up at you, alerted by the door closing, and Edge's eyes narrowed.

"OH, HELLO HUMAN!" greeted Papyrus. "ARE YOU FINISHED FOR THE DAY?" Golden hour was stronger now, and the yellow light glowed against Papyrus's face. As he walked over, he looked almost heroic, the slight billow of his scarf reminding you of a cape.

"Yep! I'll be back tomorrow at around eleven." He helpfully took the pan and roller from you and you thanked him, opening the trunk as he set them in.

"WELL, WE'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW THEN!" He said cheerfully, then nudged Edge with his elbow as the black-clad skeleton sauntered up. 

He grumbled, then looked at you from your spot in the driver's seat. "IF I HAVE TOO... I'LL... BE SEEING YOU TOMORROW." His gaze hardened and he pointed a gloved finger at you. "YOU BETTER KEEP AWAY FROM ME, THOUGH. I WON'T BE AS MERCIFUL AS LAST TIME."

You figured he was referring to Lowes and the warning left you slightly frazzled as you pulled out of the skeletons' parking lot and onto the dirt road leading to the highway.

Your nerves settled on the drive back in the quiet. Once home, you showered and stuffed your face full of chips before flopping onto your bed. 

Alphys was online, and you quickly called her, regaling her about your day. 

"Are there any more skeletons I need to know about?" you asked exasperatedly. Alphys chuckled.

"N-nope. Those are t-the only ones you'll m-meet, hopefully." The answer was a little confusing, but you sighed in relief. Alphys continued. "But, m-meeting them is just the f-first step." You cocked a brow.

"N-now you have to d-deal with them."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can ya'll tell that I like that whole growling, purring thing? Not completely animalistic, but juuuuust a little bit. Also there's a lot of tension in the skeletons' house rip. Also 1000 hits???? Im screaming


	9. Seeing Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next morning at the skeletons' house leaves you a little rattled.  
> *Is something up with Red?

The next day, you had woken up a little earlier than usual to do some tidying up around your apartment. Since the previous month had been filled with various commissions and work, you hadn't had the time to do any cleaning.

You took the time to stash stray papers away, clear off your desk of brushes and markers, and stack all your paints away. You cooked up a decent breakfast and packed lunch in the kitchen, spent ten minutes hunting down your roll of painter's tape, and washed out your paint pan before you were out the door.

The road leading up to the skeletons' house was quiet and scenic. Towering redwood trees gave way to the brilliant blue sky overhead, filled with wispy clouds. Birds sang as you drove down the old dirt road, hidden away in the treetops. You'd occasionally catch sight of a bright red cardinal, perched on a fallen log deep in the forest.

However, another bright red caught your eye, nestled between tree trunks. 

Deep in the woods stood another skeleton. It towered over logs and bushes, its single red eye constricting as it made eye contact with you between the trees. A large ax glinted in its hand.

Then its visage disappeared behind a tree, and it was gone. You almost missed a turn, and your hands tightly gripped the steering wheel. 

The trip suddenly felt tense and eerily silent.

You almost sighed in relief as the house came into view. Most of the cars were gone from the driveway, which irked you a bit, but you still parked a little ways away so they could have their spots when they came back.

Tucking your lunch and painter's tape into your bag and the paint pan under your arm, you walked up to the door and knocked. A deep voice shouted something you couldn't understand, and another one replied in a quieter voice as you heard footsteps shuffle.

You looked up at Red as he opened the door, his eyes holding more pronounced bags under them and his perma-grin pulling down at the edges. He didn't have his jacket on, and was instead wearing a different sweater that pulled tight over his ribcage.

He stared at you for a second, before his head tilted back slightly. "...'s the human," he told someone deeper into the house. Behind him, you could see Sans pop his head up over the edge of the couch.

"let 'em in, red." He sounded tired.

Red moved to the side, chest rumbling as you shuffled past him. His eyes watched your every move. "Goodmorning," you greeted as you made your way into the house. "I'm going to go ahead and get to work. Is there anything you all need before I get started?"

It was a customary question, but Red's head dipped down in a chuckle before he met your gaze with an unreadable look. "i can sure as hell think o' somethin'-"

"don't even fuckin' start, red," interrupted Sans from the couch. Red leveled a look with him, and they stared each other down before, simultaneously, growls bubbled up from both of their throats. It sent a shiver down your spine, how deep the sounds were.

For a second, you thought someone would stop them, but you realized that they were the only skeletons in the living room. You were alone with these two.

You gulped and slowly, carefully turned and dashed up the stairs. Red let out a noise of surprise, but neither followed you up to Blue's room.

You slowed down, catching your breath on the third floor. You'd done business for many monsters, but never had they been so hostile with each other. And because of you, no less.

There was loud music coming from the door with the dog tag on it, but you decided not to barge in and pattered to Blue's room. You wished he or Papyrus were here right now.

Closing the door, you opened the blinds you didn't remember closing and got to work, popping the lids off of the mixed paints. The tarp crinkled under your shoes and you tugged them off, sitting them by the door.

Grabbing the roll of painter's tape, you lined the edges of the window and the floor and ceiling line. Once the window sill was covered, you dropped the roll and picked up your paint pan.

For the base of this work, you'd lay down the most basic of colors, following the image you had drawn up the previous day. The mid-morning sun fell to the floor in white rays from the window as you dipped the roller into the paint pan, filled with your first color, and began painting.

Towards the middle sat your brighter purples and pinks, with small patches on the edges mixing with deeper blues and indigos. As you found your gaze wandering to the window, out to the thick forest, you wondered about that skeleton you had seen. 

Its single eye had looked so maniac, staring a hole into you. It had almost looked like Sans, in the same blue jacket, but it looked so tattered up. You tried to recall more about the skeleton, but could only remember its bright eye-light, watching you from the woods.

You shivered involuntarily. It reminded you of the horror movies you were obsessed with in high school, like The Blair Witch and any of the 90's slasher films you'd marathon. Even though you used to be a huge horror junkie, you still found yourself rattled.

Checking your phone, it was almost three, and you noticed you were in the zone so long you skipped lunch. You had been hoping Blue would have been home so you could have lunch with him, but you were fine with eating alone.

As you began shuffling with your messenger bag, there was a heavy knocking at the door, and Red opened it slowly. He looked nervous, flustered, and slightly angry.

"...can we talk fer a moment?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Red: sans keeps cock blocking me  
> Sans: ...you don't even have a-


	10. Clarification and Flattery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Red apologizes and judges you, at the same time.  
> *You ask about the man in the woods.

Red's stare was intense as you both stood in silence. Birds chirped lightly from the open window. Red's eyelight flitted over your face, softening slightly at your parted lips, the white sun glowing softly on your paint-dappled skin.

"Talk? About what?" you asked quietly, and he watched your lips move with each syllable. Your throat felt dry and tight. Should you not have left them in the living room? Did they get into a fight because of you?

He looked down at his unlaced sneakers, the tarp crinkling as he shifted on his feet nervously.

"i... came up 'ere to apologize to ya'," he muttered, and you almost didn't hear him. "where i'm from, things are done differently. 'was too upfront with ya. i didn't mean ta' scare ya off."

When he looked back up, your smile was gentle and kind. "It was... a little much, but I appreciate that you apologized." 

You looked back down at your bag- your packed lunch, a pair of small tuna sandwiches, peaked out from the tan fabric.

"...Would you like to have lunch with me?" you looked back up at him. His grin was small as he inspected you, mildly surprised that you'd offer something like that.

Then, his grin stretched back out, cool and amused, and he shrugged. "not like i'm eva' one to turn down a free meal."

You sat on the floor and he slumped down next to you, watching as you pulled the food out and silently handed him a sandwich. 

You couldn't help but watch as he ate. His sharp teeth sunk into the soft bread, animalistically tearing off a hunk and swallowing it whole. His bites were huge, and at one point a long, red tongue rolled out of his mouth to lick his chops. He reminded you of a lion, predatory, with his sharp fangs and intense stare. 

You tore your eyes away from him and looked up to the open window. From where you sat, you could only see the bright blue sky, painted with white streaks of clouds. They glowed faintly in the afternoon sun.

Red cleared his throat, and you turned just as his tongue glided over his gold tooth. His eyes looked down at his now empty hands. You noticed a couple of gold rings glinting in the light. "so, dollface... do ya paint rooms like this all the time?"

You almost chuckled at the irony, as Stretch had tried to ask the same thing. "Oh, no, I usually work on bigger murals. I like doing rooms more, though." You looked behind Red, at the section of wall that had purple and blue patches. "It's easier, and more fun."

He looked at you, eyes studying like usual. "do ya usually work fer..." he trailed off, letting his silence finish the thought.

For monsters. He was asking if you usually worked for monsters. Did he peg you as a racist? You hoped you didn't do anything to give him the thought. Or maybe he was just naturally suspicious of humans? The stringy cracks that ghosted along his eye sockets and skull showed that he didn't come from the safest parts of the Underground; he had every right to be doubtful.

You shrugged lightly. "Occasionally, I do." Your eyebrows furrowed slightly as you looked at the ground, studying how the light reflected off the glassy plastic tarp beneath you. "They're honestly nicer than humans. More genuine and polite. Way less demanding."

You chuckled light-heartedly. "I honestly prefer working for them. And thanks to Alphys, I've been getting more monster customers lately." When you met his gaze again, his eyebrow ridges were lifted and his eyes here lidded, like he was intently inspecting you.

After a semi-tense few seconds, he shrugged, and caught you off guard by standing and wiping his thick black sweats. "welp, i'm tellin' ya right now that not all monsters are as polite as ya think," he looked down at you, and the height difference was more apparent than ever. "some of 'em are real assholes."

You perked, his words reminding you of something. "Oh, one more thing."

His eyelights rolled back to you as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his parka. "yeah?"

"I saw another skeleton, out in the woods. I saw him on my drive here this morning," you explained. You shifted so your legs were folded under you and to the side, your shorts hiked up a bit. Red stared half-lidded at your soft legs.

"in the woods ya say? huh... didn't think he'd be out n' about so early." He waved a dismissive hand, eyes shutting. "you don't gotta worry 'bout him, he's just some wacko that lives in the woods. don't mess wit' him, 'n he won't mess wit' you."

He scratched at his chin thoughtfully. "still kinda weird that he's this close to 'da house, though..." 

He shrugged. "whateva'. i'll mention it to creampuff fer ya." Red meandered to the door. 

"You're sure it's nothing bad?" you asked from your spot on the floor. "He looked... off."

Red turned back to you, and you noticed the flicker of his white eyelight in his other eye-socket. "positive. big, bad Skull ain't gunna do nothin'."

You shifted slightly, cocking a brow. "Skull?"

He chortled, giving you an amused look. "'s what we call him. 'cause he ain't all there," he mimicked a blow to the top of his head with a closed fist, "an' neither is his head."

Thinking back on it, you do recall his skull being slightly misshaped, but with the distance between the two of you, it was impossible to discern.

"welp," he popped the 'p', "i'll let'cha get back to it." He winked at you as his sharp, ringed fingers gripped the doorknob. "i liked the lunch. you can call me if ya ever want any dessert, sweetcheeks," he purred.

He shut the door before you could respond, and you felt your cheeks go red at his final remark.

"S-sweetcheeks?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, Axe seemed a little on the nose, and I've always called him Skull anyways (thanks, Llama_Goddess). Also, Red's horny on main vibes are... not vibin'??? He's not... sleezy??? And that, somehow, makes him sexier??? *sweats* what the fuck


	11. Indigo Skies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The skeletons come back to the house as you're finishing up.  
> *You really want to get to know them

At around 5 in the afternoon, a slew of vehicles pulled up to the driveway. You finished applying a rough patch of violet, set your brush down and peeked out the window to see the rest of the skeletons filtering into the house. Black, if you remembered his name right, stood with his arms crossed as Edge pointed at him and yelled something.

You only realized how quiet the house had been once it wasn't quiet. There were raised voices and the noises of the t.v. mixed with the now louder music coming from the room next to the staircase. 

It wasn't too distracting, though, so you picked your brush back up, dipped into a lighter pink, and stood on the stool to reach a point right above the window.

Most of the wall was covered in different messy patches of color, and once you got all four walls painted you'd go through and clean them up with the airbrush before adding any details. Stars, clusters of oranges and yellows, and maybe some distant planets, while still following Sans's star map.

In the hallway, a pair of footsteps thundered up the stairs and someone pounded on one of the doors. You were confused for a moment, before the loud rock music went quiet. Then, your door was opened.

"HUMAN," hissed Black, leaning in the door. "PAPYRUS WANTED ME TO ASK IF YOU WERE HUNGRY." You almost chuckled at the innocent, begrudging gesture, and shook your head.

"I already had lunch with Red." You scratched at your nose and got some pink paint on it, then wiped your hand on your shorts. "Thank you for asking though."

He stared at you for a silent second. "WITH... RED? DID HE TRY ANYTHING?"

You thought back to this morning in the living room, but decided it wasn't worth mentioning. "Nope. We just talked, and I shared my lunch with him."

Black looked at you skeptically, before acquiescing. His gaze wandered to the walls, settling on the one you were working on, and he sidled up to stand beside the stool. "IT DOESN'T... LOOK LIKE SPACE."

You chuckled at this. "Well, not yet. I'm just laying down the basic shapes. Later on, I'll go through and add detail." You brushed more pink onto the wall in small criss-cross strokes. 

Black rubbed his chin in thought. "SO, YOU COULD SAY YOU'RE LAYING DOWN THE... SKELETON?"

You stared at him. His sharp grin stretched wider, and he shrugged dismissively. "I DON'T KNOW, PAINTER. SEEMS PRETTY... BAREBONES TO ME."

You snorted at that, and it only seemed to egg Black on. "OH, YOU'RE FINDING THESE HUMEROUS? SORRY TIBIA BARER OF BAD NEWS, BUT MOST PEOPLE GET TIRED OF THEM REALLY FAST." 

He winked coyly. "I'M GLAD THEY TICKLE YOUR FUNNY-BONE, THOUGH."

You let out a bark of laughter, shaking your head. "Oh, wow. Those were pretty good, Black." A smile still pulled on your lips against your best effort. "Ulna-ver forget them."

He looked at you in mild surprise before giving a laugh of his own. It was deep and pleasant, so different from his voice. His smile was gentle and his eye lights were bright. "YOU'RE A FUNNY ONE, AREN'T YOU, PAINTER?"

Your face heated up and you chuckled flusteredly, rubbing your neck. Why, you thought, do all these skeletons have to be so charming?

"WELL... THE DAY'S ALMOST OVER, SO I'LL LET YOU FINISH UP," remarked Black, and he walked to the doorway. "IT WAS NICE TALKING TO YOU."

His smile seemed so genuine and sweet that you couldn't get any words in before he shut the door behind him. You clicked your mouth shut the moment you noticed it was hanging open.

You finished up the wall, adding second layers of paints that didn't show too well against the dark blues, and sighed as golden light poured through the window. Covering up your paints, you left the pan and roller there for today, as you hadn't used them as much as you anticipated and they didn't need to be cleaned badly.

The tarp crinkled under you as you slipped your shoes back on and meandered into the hallway, listening to the racket downstairs get progressively louder as you got closer to the living room. 

Almost all of the skeletons sat in the living room, huddled around the t.v. as two cars zipped around each other in a videogame. Edge held one controller, whipping it around wildly; Sans had practically slipped off of the couch and onto the floor, the other remote in his grip. He appeared to be winning.

"they're pretty fun to watch, ain't they?" drawled a voice, and you whipped around to come face-to-chest with Mutt. You backed up and smiled, you only vaguely remembered him from last night.

"Edge seems pretty into it," you remarked. In his hands, Mutt held a pack of beer bottles. They clinked against each other as he shrugged.

"edge-meister's always givin' his all. ain't ever 'nuff, though." He nodded his head to a pair of beanbags next to Red. "wanna join us, painter?"

You shook your head. "I've gotta get home. Thanks for the offer, though." You honestly did want to sit with them, but you barely knew any of them and didn't want to intrude. "I'll be back tomorrow."

"see ya'." Mutt pattered to a beanbag, looked at it, then set the beers down on the ground and threw himself onto Red's lap. Red yelled out and almost shoved him off, but paused when Mutt held up one of the bottles.

You smiled in amusement but said nothing to interrupt them, slipping out of the door and into the cool air. 

As you made your way to your car, the wind whistled through the trees. The sun had set at this point, and the cool blue night gave no light to the foliage.

You looked out into the foreboding forest, almost expecting a single red light staring back at you, but saw nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 200 kudos ya'll!! I love reading your comments and I'm so happy you guys are liking this story! In my eyes *looks into the distance sagely* all sanses love puns, Blue and Black included (also, ya'll all know Mutt heard Black and Painter's conversation and cringed so hard he created a black hole)


	12. A Chaotic Kitchen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Papyrus and Edge are cooking... something in the kitchen.  
> *Thank god Blue made you lunch on your first day.

You tried taking Red's words to heart the next morning. If he said that you didn't have to worry about "Skull" bothering you, then you had nothing to fear, right?

Still, you found yourself casting worried glances out the window. Thick, heavy clouds obscured the sun, heavy with water and overcasting the forest in a solemn shadow. No birds chirped, and the sound of cold wind carried through the brilliant emerald canopies as you wound your way through the woods on the thin dirt path.

The house rolled into view from behind the trees and you noticed Sans sat on a lawn chair in the front yard. He had a sun hat on and a small martini umbrella between his teeth. The chair was shadowed by a large beach umbrella.

Sans waved at you as you closed your car door. "mornin', painter," he greeted. "nice day outside, ain't it?"

You looked up at the sky. Dark, ominous clouds loomed overhead, and you could smell rain in the air. "Uh, not really. It's going to rain soon."

He nodded sagely. "all the more reason to chill outside before the storm hits," he shrugged. "summer's almost over. i wanna savor these last moments, ya' know?"

You cocked your brow. "Is that the reason you're sitting outside?"

He looked back to the door for a moment. "...paps n' edge have been cookin' today. smells like an italian's coccyx in there."

You shifted the messenger bag on your shoulder. "Well, wish me luck then." You chuckled. "And try not to get caught in the rain, alright?"

He smiled at you kindly. "gotcha."

Opening the door, the stench of an indescribable smell hit you alongside the wave of warmth coming from the house. Stretch was hovering at the entrance of the kitchen with his face scrunched up, and there was a lot of racket coming from behind the marbled counter. 

You sat your bag at the foot of the stairs and joined Stretch. He noticed you and his face loosened a little, and he slung an arm over your shoulder to whisper in your ear. "if they try to feed ya the disaster they call a meal, say you're allergic to gluten." He thought for a second, "a-an' vinegar."

You shivered but nodded nonetheless, and focused on Papyrus and Edge dancing around each other as they put together their individual meals. 

There were flour patches on the ground and walls, dozens of eggshells, and a stick of butter that had landed on the ground in a lopsided angle. The brown walls of the kitchen had scorch marks tearing up them like scars, leading to a ceiling covered in ash above a stove that held four large pots, all of which were red-hot and boiling over. 

And behind all that, towards the back of the kitchen and by the back door, stood Blue and Black. Both looked unphased by the chaos, save for clothespins stuck to both of their nasal ridges. They watched with faces of neutral disappointment as Papyrus and Edge both turned and almost collided into each other. 

Papyrus caught sight of you standing next to Stretch and grinned. "OH, PAINTER! SO GOOD TO SEE YOU!" He held up the bowl in his hands, filled with an indistinguishable green batter. "WOULD YOU LIKE TO TRY MY DISH ONCE IT'S COMPLETE?"

You cast a nervous look at Stretch, who seemed to be trying to convey the five stages of grief via facial expressions. "What... would that dish be?"

He laughed heartily. "I'M NOT SURE YET! I WON'T KNOW UNTIL IT IS FINISHED! ISN'T THAT GREAT?" To you, that wasn't very great.

Edge shoved past him, holding a bowl of a pure white dough with small fragments of some shiny things scattered in. "ABSOLUTELY NOT! THE PAINTER WOULD OBVIOUSLY TOSS YOURS. THEY'D LIKE TO TRY MINE MUCH MORE!" He looked back at you with a sadistic glint in his eye-socket. "AND I'D MAKE THE HUMAN BEG FOR A TASTE."

You felt your face warm up a bit but shook your head. "N-no thanks! I'm... allergic to gluten!" Stretch discretely nudged you with an elbow. "And... vinegar?"

Edge glowered at you for a second, before huffing. "W-WELL, I DIDN'T WANT TO GIVE YOU ANY OF IT ANYWAYS! SO... HAH!"

Papyrus deflated slightly. "I'M SURE THAT I CAN MAKE SOMETHING YOU CAN EAT ONE DAY." He perked up. "THEN YOU CAN SAVOR MY MASTER COOKING!"

He patted your head much like he would a child, which would make sense considering he's a foot taller than you. "UNTIL THEN, I WILL BE HERE TO COMFORT YOU THROUGH THE TERRIBLE SADNESS YOU MUST BE FEELING OVER NOT BEING ABLE TO EAT FOOD PREPARED BY ME," he put a fist to his chest pridefully, "THE GREAT PAPYRUS!"

Wow, you lamented. He is pretty cool. "Aw, thank you," you smiled at him, "but I've gotta get to work. Is there anything you guys need of me before I get started?"

They all (besides Edge) declined and you waved goodbye before pattering to the stairs. You dipped down, gripped your bag from the floor, and took the stairs two at a time up to Blue's room. Mutt was coming out of the door by the stairs (which you could now assume was his room) and smiled cooly when he saw you.

"oh, tiny painter, you won't believe whatcha missed last night," he said with a smile. "sans kicked edge's coccyx inta' next fuckin' year at that racin' game." He chuckled. "...really wish you coulda stayed."

That part sounded softer, but he brushed past you before you could try and read his expression. "...whatever. there's always next time, right?" He turned the corner of the staircase as disappeared from view.

You slowly walked to Blue's room, and for the first time noticed a whiteboard on his door. "OUT OF COMMISSION" read the sign, written in a goofy font you couldn't remember the name of. You chuckled to yourself before closing the door behind you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's all fun and games til Edge's inner sadist shows through. Did he phrase it like that on purpose just to fluster the painter? The world may never know... Also, sorry if this one seems a little rushed rip


	13. The Storm Outside

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The storm has began, and you won't be able to get home in the rain.  
> *Blue has a proposition.

You began by rolling out more tape, lining the second wall adjacent to the door. You opened the blinds but left the window closed, listening to the first few droplets of rain hit the glass. On days you didn't work during a storm, you'd cuddle up to an open window, smothered in a blanket with a cup of tea in hand, and watch the cars outside your apartment.

The flat you had was a small studio fit for one person, on the third floor of a seven-story building. You didn't know any of your neighbors too well except for the old woman who lived in the room below you on the second floor, who appreciated when you'd take out her trash. 

You dipped your brush into a deep purple and started at the bottom of the wall, gingerly painting on coats of deep blues and shifting them to lavenders. No one came to visit you besides Papyrus, who had brought you an innocent tuna sandwich. 

"Oh, thank you!" you said, taking the plate from him. He beamed.

"OF COURSE! I WAS SAD THAT YOU COULDN'T HAVE ANY OF MY COOKING, SO I MADE YOU SOMETHING ELSE!" His eyes narrowed. "RED TOLD ME THAT YOU BROUGHT SANDWICHES WITH YOU FOR LUNCH AND SHARED ONE WITH HIM. DID HE THREATEN YOU INTO DOING SO?"

Your eyebrows furrowed slightly as you denied that. He shrugged. "WELL, THEN, ENJOY YOUR LUNCH!" He leaned over towards you slightly. "THE BREAD IS GLUTEN FREE!"

As he left, you wondered why no one trusted Red that much. He seemed like a nice guy. Sure, you weren't an idiot, and he had made multiple advances on you, but they were harmless.

He can't be that bad, right?

As the day went on, the rain didn't stop. Torrential currents were hitting the windows, and the sound of the storm drowned out your thoughts like static.

You were checking your phone more often, as you couldn't look outside to tell the time. The clock slowly shifted from early noon to afternoon, but the sky stayed that same, dreary grey.

Around 4, Blue came in. He looked a little tense. "HUMAN, I HAVE A BIT OF BAD NEWS." 

You set your paintbrush down and turned to face him. His hands were clasped behind his back. "THE WEATHER, AS YOU HAVE NOTICED, IS VERY SERVERE."

He looked down at the ground. "THE ROADS LEADING OUT OF THE FOREST HAVE FLOODED. YOU... HAVE NO SAFE WAY OF GETTING HOME TONIGHT."

You blinked, wondering why that wouldn't have occurred to you earlier. "Oh, geez, really?"

He nodded, then looked back up at you. "HOWEVER. THAT LEADS TO A BIT OF GOOD NEWS." He grinned cheerfully. "THAT MEANS YOU GET TO STAY THE NIGHT!"

You immediately shook your head. "Oh, no, I wouldn't want to impose-"

"DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER OPTION?" he quickly countered. You went quiet. Not only did you not have any other choice, but you did want to hang out with the boys outside of work.

You shook your head, smiling. "I guess not." His smile widened. 

"YOU CAN STAY IN THE GUEST ROOM ACROSS FROM ME!" He started rambling. "AND IT'LL BE LIKE A SLEEPOVER! OH, AND WE CAN PLAY VIDEO GAMES- HAVE YOU EVER PLAYED MARIO KART BEFORE?"

You answered, and he had stars in his eyes. "OH, THIS'LL BE SO MUCH FUN!" You couldn't help but laugh at his enthusiasm - then gasp as he grabbed your hand and started tugging you behind him. "WE'VE GOT TO TELL THE OTHERS THAT YOU'LL BE STAYING; THEY'LL BE SO EXCITED!"

Your hand stayed in his grip as he led you down the stairs and into the living room. The news was on, displaying the severe weather warning for your county and a few surrounding it. Edge, Red, and Sans sat in the living room - Black and Papyrus were sat across from each other at the dining room table off to your right.

"GUYS, GUESS WHAT!" exclaimed Blue, grinning ear to ear. Edge peaked over the couch, took one look at you and groaned. 

"OH, LORD, DON'T EVEN TELL ME-" He started growling, but was cut off from the t.v. as the volume was raised.

"...recommended to stay off all roads until the storm passes and stay indoors as much as possible. Try to avoid driving during the night, especially on smaller roads," warned the newscaster. Edge's head whipped around to glare at Sans, who had the remote in his hand. 

"sorry, edge. couldn't hear the news too well." He winked, and Edge gave a resigned scoff. 

"...FINE, FINE! BUT MAKE SURE IT," he pointed a sharp phalange at you, "STAYS FAR AWAY FROM ME." Your brows furrowed, but you said nothing.

Edge rose and pushed past you to stomp up the stairs, and Red stared after him as he turned the corner and disappeared. "sorry 'bout that, sweetheart," the nickname rolled off his tongue, "but he don't like humans too much. don't take it personally."

You shrugged. "It's alright. He has a good reason." Red stared at you for a second, before his shoulders bounced as he chuckled smoothly. The sound was deep and warm.

"if only you knew," he purred. "so, where ya sleepin' at?"

Blue stepped forwards. "THE ROOM ACROSS FROM MINE! WE'RE GONNA HAVE A SLEEPOVER!"

Red gave him an incredulous yet amused look. "damn, blue. already trynna' get her in yer bed, huh?" Blue sputtered at this while your face heated up a little. From the dining room, you could hear Black's low, amused chuckle.

"just jokin' with ya, blue." He grinned, slouching on the couch a little bit more. "jus' make sure ya feed 'em somethin' edible fer dinner."

His eye light flickered over to you, relaxed but almost predatory. "i'll make i give 'em a nice dessert," he rumbled. Your face flushed deeper, and Red laughed as Blue scolded him, your hand still grasped in his.

This was going to be a long night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2000 hits?? You guys are the best! I never thought this little fanfic I'd write would get this much love. Also, Red trynna slide into those dms... He's a huge hoe tbh


	14. Mother Nature

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You get a call from your mother while the rain pours outside.  
> *You wonder what's for dinner.

Blue had shown you the guest room you'd be staying in (across from where he was staying and just left of his actual room) before leaving you to finish work for the night, pledging to call you down for dinner around 7. The rain continued on outside, like the ocean falling from the sky in heavy droves. It battered against the window like it wanted to crack the glass.

You turned on the light, no longer able to rely on any light from outside, and carried on painting. Small violet patches worked seamlessly into the deeper navies and sangrias towards the edge of the walls. It looked drops of ink in an ocean, each color spreading and mingling with those around it like a slowly growing cloud.

It would make sense eventually. Once you had the base down, you'd define and blend the shapes to look like a colorful galaxy. Adding stars would be fun (and rewarding, now that you had the star map from Sans), then adding more interesting colors would sell it.

Your phone went off from inside your bag, and you dropped your brush onto the tarp to pull it out. You read the caller I.D. and frowned as you realized it was your mother.

You and your mom never got along too well. Ever since you expressed your interest in art she just seemed to be less and less satisfied. She was always badgering you about getting a "real job", and wasn't pleased when you began freelancing. You knew that, deep down, she only wanted what was best for you, but she never bothered to see things from your perspective so you had long since stopped trying to see things from hers.

Still, you accepted the call, holding the phone to your ear. "Hey, mom."

Her voice sounded a little bit hoarser every time you heard it, like she was aging more since you moved out. "Hi, sweetie! How are you holding up? The weather's getting pretty bad."

You shrugged even though she couldn't see, mindlessly sorting through some of your brushes. "I'm doing alright. I'm staying the night at a client's house so I don't have to drive home in the rain."

Her end was silent for a second. Oh Lord, here we go. "A client's house? Do you know them? Do you trust them?"

"Mom," you sighed, "I'll be fine. They're good guys. They're letting me sleep in the guest room tonight."

"Guys?" she hissed. "Really? Staying the night in a house full of men?"

"It's not like that," you insisted, sitting against the wall you had painted yesterday. "They're friends of mine," sort of, "and I trust them," a little bit. You'd only known them for three days, but they didn't seem like the kind of guys to do anything.

She let out a loud, resigned sigh on her end. "Fine, don't listen to me! It's not like I know anything, right?"

"No, mom," you insisted, "It's not that I don't-"

"No, no, I get it," she interrupted. "I completely get it. Fine, do whatever you want. It's not even my problem."

You rubbed between your eyes with two pinched fingers. "Mom, please don't start." 

She scoffed. "Start what? If anything, you're the one who started it, not even attempting to hear me out."

"You're the one who interrupted me!" you pointed out. "I trust them and I know them. Can't you just take my word on it?"

Her end was silent for a moment. "I... I'm sorry, sweetie. I just- I just want you to be safe." Her tone was softer and piteous. You deflated slightly.

"And I get that," you breathed. "But I can judge whether or not I can trust them perfectly fine. I'm staying the night with them, alright?"

"If you have no other option," she relented. "Just stay safe. The storm isn't going to let up all night, and the roads will be dangerous in the morning."

"I know. Thanks." No matter how much you two argued, you loved your mother. It had just been the two of you as long as you had known, with an absent father and no other siblings. As much as you hated to admit, she was the most important person in your life, even if she wasn't your favorite.

"Alright, sweetie, I'll talk to you later," she said. "I love you. Bye."

"Bye," you muttered, hanging up the phone and letting your hand fall to the ground loosely. Conversations with her always took a lot out of you, but you're at least glad that this one didn't evolve into a full-on shouting match in a house that wasn't yours.

After a moment of steeling yourself, you rose to your feet with a grunt and tossed your phone in the vague direction of your bag. You turned, looking out the window into the blue, rainy night, watching the trees bend and dance with the storm.

Then, you grabbed your brush back up off of the tarp and continued painting, as if the phone call never happened.

When Blue came to fetch you for dinner, the second wall was complete, the fresh paint shining in the yellow light of the ceiling lamp. He stood with his hands on his hips, admiring the swirling hues for a moment, before leading you into the hallway.

He stopped to knock on the door opposite of the one with the dog tag, and Stretch peaked his head out. "h-hey, painter. heard you're stayin' the night."

You nodded. "We're about to head downstairs for dinner."

He smiled, stepping out and shutting the door behind him. "well, count me in."

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, the living room was oddly silent, but you noticed Mutt and Red both sitting on the couch, staring in alarm towards the dining room.

You turned to look around the corner into the dining room, and a single, constricted eye light stared back at you, red like a cardinal deep in the forest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mother: I'm kind of a bitch but I just want you to be safe.  
> Painter: Ok Boomer.


	15. Dinner and a Show

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You meet Skull and Crooks, and they have a few qualms about the new human.  
> *You hope they begin to trust you soon.

From what you had seen of him in the forest, he was heavy-set (for a skeleton) and a bit hunched- but seeing him up close, it hit you just how tall he was. Sans, who stood next to him with a strained smile, didn't even reach his collar. He was probably a few inches taller than Papyrus, who was just over seven feet.

The next thing you noticed was what Red had mentioned gave Skull his namesake; the large, gaping hole in his head. You scanned over it quickly as to not be rude, but it was a cavernous void that gave way to the black expanse of the inside of his cranium. His single eye-light, just below it, trembled as he stared at you from across the room.

Blue gulped audibly behind you. "S-SKULL, I WANT YOU TO MEET THE HUMAN PAINTING MY ROOM. REMEMBER-" he stopped himself from finishing that sentence. "I... I HIRED HER LAST WEEK."

Skull was silent as he looked at you, almost looking through you. His pupil grew in size slightly, and you forced yourself to catch and hold his gaze. 

There was a clatter in the kitchen, and you broke your gaze with him to see another- holy. Fucking. Shit.

If Skull was tall, the skeleton that just traipsed out of the kitchen was a giant. His head almost touched the ceiling and he had to bend down to fit through the kitchen doorway. 

He looked similar to Papyrus, but if someone had stretched him out with a taffy roller then took a baseball bat to his face. His teeth were horribly crooked and misaligned, and numerous spider-web cracks branched off from his mouth.

He still seemed to be able to convey facial expressions fairly well, though, as the grin on his face beamed before it fell when he saw you. Both of these slightly mutilated skeletons ogled at you like you had grown a second head.

Papyrus spoke up, moving to stand beside you. "SKULL, CROOKS," oh, Christ, his name was "Crooks"," DON'T BE ALARMED. THIS HUMAN IS A GUEST IN OUR HOME WHO WILL BE EATING WITH US TONIGHT."

Skull's red eye narrowed, but you noticed that his other socket looked limp and dead. No eye-light flickered in that empty cavern. "...really?"

His voice was so impossibly deep, like he was growling some threat. He sounded a lot like Sans but flatter and thinner, like he wasn't all there. "a human? eating your food?"

"WHY WOULD YOU LET A HUMAN STAY? FOR HOW LONG?" asked Crooks, his voice high and grating.

Red groaned from the couch. "no, dude, the human ain't livin' here. geez. eatin' dinner, stayin' the night out o' the storm. that's it."

His voice was sour and snide, and Skull glared at Red for the tone he took with Crooks. "watch your tone."

Red shrugged. "sorry, but i ain't sorry. the human's stayin'."

Skull's eye light rolled back to you before he growled deep in his chest. Red and Mutt both returned the gesture, and the room sounded like it was full of wild dogs. The faint feeling of magic, tingling on your skin and leaving a metallic taste on your tongue, permeated the room.

You suddenly didn't feel safe.

Mutt stood, shoulders hunched, but Crooks rushed forwards and put a hand on Skull's shoulder. He huffed and looked down at the ground. Mutt and Red glared at him, but stopped growling.

"get outta our house," warned Mutt. An unreadable, almost regretful expression fell on the Skull's face.

"BROTHER, WE SHOULD LEAVE," Crooks advised. 

"fine," grumbled Skull, looking at Sans. "we can talk about it another time. watch yourselves."

His gaze turned to you, sharp and void of the emotion it had a second ago. "and you, human. don' even think of tryin' anythin'."

Then, keeping as much distance between themselves and you as possible, they walked past you to the door, slamming it shut behind them. 

The silence they left was deafening, and you released a breath you didn't know you were holding. With an apologetic look to his face, Papyrus turned to you.

"Y-YOU'LL HAVE TO FORGIVE THEM, SKULL ESPECIALLY. HE IS... VERY PROTECTIVE OVER THE PEOPLE HE CARES ABOUT. ALMOST..." he looked down. "DANGEROUSLY SO. HE JUST WANTS US TO STAY SAFE."

Mutt scoffed from the couch. "c'mon, not the whole "he's an asshole 'cause he cares" speech. that psychopath doesn't give a shit about anyone outside of his food an' his brother. he just wants to be a bitch about humans 'cause-"

"MUTT!" Black called. "ENOUGH, WE GET IT, YOU'RE MAD AT HIM!" Mutt's mouth clicked shut. "HE MAY BE A LITTLE INTENSE, BUT HIS SOUL'S IN THE RIGHT PLACE."

Edge scoffed. "IF HE EVEN HAS ONE!" You noticed a pink apron tied around his waist. "HE'S GOT NO SENSE OF EMPATHY OR COMPASSION; HE AND HIS BEAST OF A BROTHER ARE AS COLD AS CORPSES." 

He threw his hands up. "AND WE'RE SKELETONS FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!"

"ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT," coaxed Blue from behind you, stepping towards the dining table. "I SAY WE PUT THIS PAST US AND EAT. IT HAS BEEN AN EVENTFUL EVENING THAT WOULD BE BETTER DISCUSSED ONCE SITTING DOWN."

Stretched hummed in approval. "sounds good to me, bro."

Papyrus lit up. "YES! DINNER WILL PRESENT THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THE HUMAN..." he put his fingertips together connivingly, "...INTERESTING QUESTIONS..."

He put a hand between your shoulder blades and lead you to the kitchen, where pans of food sat out on the counters next to a stack of empty plates. Red was there, helping himself to a large portion of... lasagna? If you could even call it that. 

He saw you and winked. "my bro made this one, n' he made sure to put extra vinegar in it." His smile stretched as he shoveled a large forkful into his mouth and bit down with a sickening crunch.

You flinched at the sound and he chuckled amusedly. "it's to die for."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Skull: I just want all of you safe.  
> Mutt: I don't care I hate u get out of our house.  
> Skull, through tears: Ok I love you too
> 
> I didn't even mean to write Skull as an overprotective beast but DAMN if I don't love it


	16. Blame and Banter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You have dinner with eight other skeletons.  
> *Tensions rise.

Stretch had kindly guided you through which foods would kill you and which wouldn't after Red had left the kitchen. The crunch had apparently been glass shards, and the gold-toothed skeleton had swallowed it without even flinching.

Papyrus and Edge had plenty of enthusiasm when it came to cooking, but no real skill. You liked to think of yourself as a good chef, but those two skeletons weren't even decent. You almost felt bad for Sans and Red, who no doubt had been exposed to plenty of their taller brother's numerous kitchen nightmares.

After a lot of stumbling around each other and one almost-toppled drink you suspected was booze, all nine of you were sat at their white table, the curtains drawn over the large sliding glass door that leads to the back yard. You could hear the waves of water hitting the windows over the conversation between the others.

There was so much happening at the table. At least three different conversations were being held at once, cups and bowls were being passed around, and you were always bumping shoulders or knees with someone. 

You sat next to the head of the table where Sans slouched, and Blue sat next to you further down the table. Next to him was Stretch, who was muttering something to Papyrus at the other table end.

Edge sat on Papyrus's other side, and you assumed he picked the furthest seat from you out of spite. He was bickering with Black while Mutt and Red poured a red, swirling liquid into their cup. As he was sat across from you, Red offered you the drink and you politely refused. 

Laughs were all around as jokes and stories about their days were exchanged, and you felt a little out of place. They were so familiar, so comfortable around each other. Edge was even laughing, an uncharacteristically warm smile on his face as he listened to Black. 

Beside you, Sans chuckled. "they sure are a handful, huh? im jus' happy they're happy." You smiled at that. Sans definitely seemed to have the "big brother" roll in the house. "how're you likin' the food?"

"Oh!" you looked down at your plate. "It's really good. Can I, uh, ask about the condiments?" There were at least four bottles of ketchup, mustard, honey, and barbeque sauce in various places on the table. Stretch noticed your gaze, grabbed a bottle of honey, and started guzzling large mouthfuls of it without breaking eye contact.

Blue shook his head, grabbed a bottle of ketchup, and squirted a very large bit of it onto his plate. "BROTHER, NOT AT THE DINNER TABLE. PLEASE, DON'T SPOIL MY APPETITE." Stretch took one more, defiant gulp before setting it down and wiping his mouth with his sleeve. 

"yeah, stretch," teased Mutt across from him, voice high in a mocking lilt. "listen to yer big brother."

Stretch growled. "shuttup, dog." 

Black perked up. "HEY," he called, pointing a finger at Stretch. "WATCH YOUR MOUTH."

"make me," he hissed, and Blue put a hand on his shoulder.

"BLACK, YOUR BROTHER WAS THE FIRST TO SAY SOMETHING," he pointed out. Sans watched them in interest but said nothing.

"WHO CARES WHO STARTED IT? I'M FINISHING IT." He pointed at himself. "SINCE I'M THE ONLY ONE HERE WHO IS CAPABLE ON COMMON SENSE." Mutt looked at his brother, almost hurt, but it quickly passed.

"HEY!" exclaimed Edge next to him. "I'M JUST AS SMART AS YOU, NITWIT!" Black stood from his seat.

Mutt scoffed and Red's eye-light flickered to him. "somethin' you wanna say, dog?" They stared at each other, unbroken and piercing, while Black and Edge bickered beside them.

"OH, DON'T START COMPARING YOURSELF TO ME AGAIN. YOU KNOW THAT DOESN'T DO TOO WELL ON YOUR HUGE EGO." Black remarked, and Edge's eye socket twitched as he stood.

"OH, I CAN THINK OF A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT ME THAT ARE BIGGER THAN-"

"ENOUGH!" Papyrus interjected. "EVERYONE QUIET!" The table fell silent. "YOU TWO, SIT DOWN!" Black and Edge immediately fell into their seats, eyes wide. Papyrus huffed.

"I APOLOGIZE FOR RAISING MY VOICE LIKE THAT, BUT YOU ALL MUST LEARN TO CONTROL YOUR TEMPERS." He turned to you, and the hope that you wouldn't get involved dwindled. "ESPECIALLY WITH OUR HUMAN GUEST!"

Edge groaned. "I DON'T EVEN SEE WHY WE LET IT STAY. WE SHOULD HAVE THROWN IT OUT THE GET PUMELED BY THE STORM." He shrugged. "WOULD'VE MADE GOOD FERTILIZER."

Blue put a hand on the table. "BUT THEN WHO WOULD HAVE PAINTED MY ROOM?" Edge rolled his eye-light.

"YOU COULD HAVE EASILY FOUND A MONSTER ARTIST TO PAINT YOUR ROOM. IT HASN'T DONE ANYTHING GOOD SO FAR, AND I DOUBT IT EVER WOULD HAVE." He chuckled condescendingly. "I WAS AMAZED IT EVEN KNEW WHAT TO BUY."

This made you bristle, even though you knew none of what he was saying was true. You had to keep a level head and be the better person. You didn't want to give him any actual reason to hate you.

So you said nothing. Papyrus's browbone creased. "EDGE, THAT IS NO WAY TO SPEAK ABOUT A GUEST." He threw his hands up. "ESPECIALLY IF SAID GUEST IS PRESENT."

Edge scoffed and threw Papyrus the bird, which tore a gasp out of Blue. Sans straightened up, staring holes into Edge, and making Red sit up in his seat as well. 

Blue stood up to stand beside Papyrus, and Mutt glared at the blue-clad skeleton. Black watched Edge intensely.

And, as if a button was switched, they all started growling at each other. Magic simmered in the air threateningly, like lightning ready to strike. Stretch quickly grabbed your arm and you jumped in surprise. His eye sockets were wide and his shoulders hunched. Seems like he wasn't too fond of fighting either. 

"close yer eyes, hon," he warned, barely heard over everyone else. You did so, brows furrowed, and then your chair disappeared from under you.

The sensation lasted a fraction of a second, as if everything had flickered out of existence, and you felt like you were drifting through space. If it weren't for Stretch's tight grip on your forearm, you felt like you would have drifted away. Your feet floated up a few inches, and then you were suddenly sitting on a bed.

Your eyes shot open and you whipped around, now in the guest room across from Blue's. Stretch let go of your sleeve and you blinked up at him. 

Stretch gulped, rubbing the back of his neck. "th-that was a close one, wasn't it?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alsdkhaflsdfj 300 kudos??? I love yall so much. Also I loved writing this chapter cause I love writing banter and conversations... I think they say a lot about each character


	17. The Calm After the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Stretch hang out in the aftermath of the argument.  
> *Mutt has a bone to pick.

"What..." you breathed, eyes wide, "What was that?"

He shrugged non-committedly, smiling nervously. "we call it a sh-shortcut. p-pretty cool, huh?" His grin pulled down at the corners. "uh... sorry 'bout all the chaos down there. some of us just... don't mix too well."

"Yeah, I can see that." How many times had you seen one of them growl at another? Will they hurt each other? You didn't want anyone to get into any fights, but Stretch seemed pretty chill with everything. Maybe they're just doing it for show?

"w-well, uh, one thing's for sure- we're not goin' back down there any time soon." He chuckled and looked at you, his smile wry and kind. "wanna chill in my room with me?"

Oh, not the skeletal charm! His eye sockets were scrunched slightly in the corners due to his smile, and you noticed the tiniest white eye lights in them. 

If this was any normal guy, you'd refuse- but it wasn't. You knew Stretch wasn't innocent, but he was much more modest and tentative than most guys you'd met. He was kind and careful, and you didn't want to turn down an opportunity to hang out with him.

"Sure," you agreed, and his smile broadened a bit.

He stood and held the door open for you, leading you into the hallway. You could hear the commotion downstairs. Voices like Edge's and Blue's were defined, while lower murmurs could also be heard. Stretch ushered you into his room, casting nervous glances to the staircase like he was doing something he wasn't supposed too.

His room... wasn't the cleanest. It looked as though he had tried to clean it, but gave up after about three minutes. Clothing hangers littered the floor next to piles of clothes shoved into corners of the room. His bed sheets were all balled up in a lump on his mattress. Across from the door, against the wall, was a large computer desk with a laptop and stacks of books. 

Curiously enough, a large beehive hung above his computer. Small yellow bumblebees idly buzzed around it. Next to it sat a window, showing a view of the torrential rain outside.

He noticed you staring at it and chuckled. "pretty cool, right? they, uh, just kinda showed up one day. i think they're magic or something. every one in a while, a tiny jar of honey just shows up on the desk out of nowhere. best shit i've ever tasted."

Stretch flopped down on his bed, the ball of sheets flattening under him. He patted the spot next to him and you sat on the soft mattress. He pulled a remote from out of nowhere and flicked on the small flatscreen that sat across from his bed. 

"d-do ya like anime?"

The rain on the windows fell in crashing waves as the two of you sat through the first few minutes of a show he really seemed to like, having turned off the lights and untangled a blanket from the mound. You quickly grew interested alongside him, and he had pulled some chips out from under the bed that you quickly began to munch down on. You were considerably hungry, as your dinner had been cut short.

Remembering about the commotion downstairs, you turned to Stretch, whose hand was in a chip bag. "Do you think they've calmed down yet?"

He cocked an eye-ridge, and at the same moment, a pair of footsteps rose from the stairs. Mutt swung the door open with a scowl on his face. Yellow light from the lamps in the hallway illuminated a stripe on the carpet, falling across you and Stretch sitting on the bed.

"stretch, damnit, i know the human's with-" he noticed you and stopped mid-sentence. Stretch let a smug grin spread across his face.

"... the human's with _who_ , dog?" he asked mockingly. Mutt growled, and you were reminded of a pitbull. His pair of golden teeth gleamed in the light of Stretch's t.v. as it played on, forgotten. 

"Did you need me, Mutt?" you asked. Your voice sounded faint and demure. 

"i..." he blinked. "it's... uh, nevermind." He looked down at the carpet.

"Are you okay? A lot was happening at..." you trailed off. Mutt nodded, and Stretch scoffed.

"m-man, you just had to go and say somethin'," remarked Stretch. "none of this would've happened if you hadn't opened your mouth." Mutt ducked his head.

You lightly smacked his arm. "Stretch, that was mean! Don't say that."

He recoiled a bit before shrugging. "...'s true."

You turned back to Mutt, your smile sympathetic. "It isn't your fault, Mutt. I'm just glad it's over."

He looked back up at you, and you saw eye lights in his eyes too. They were searching, scanning your face like he was trying to find any signs that you were lying.

"no, it..." he sighed. "it is. i actually... came to apologize. fer startin' shit." He looked at Stretch, who's face had slacked slightly in surprise. "it was over some stupid shit, and i shouldn't have done it."

The t.v.'s white noise seemed to distant, and Mutt's shadow in the doorway cast over the two of you, his figure framed by the light of the hallway. His eyes were pleading and sincere. For a moment, Stretch seemed to be at a loss of words.

"y-you... you never apologize, Mutt," Stretch used his real name, "why now?"

Mutt shrugged. "things're different now. we... we can't _ever_ go back, so black 'n i wanna start fresh. be better. y'know?"

They were silent for a moment longer, than Mutt seemed to remember that you were in the room and shook his head. "i don' expect ya too."

"oh," Stretch remarked, "trust me, i do."

Mutt smiled kindly at him, a different grin than what he usually wore. "gotcha... see you two later, then."

He shut the door behind him, and you two were left in the dark bedroom, illuminated by the soft, white light of the television.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mutt: I'm gonna apologize to Painter for starting shit and get on their good side, and maybe get some ass.  
> Stretch: I'm boutta this man's whole career.  
> Yoooo we're almost at 3k hits????? I'm so amazed people actually like this story! Your comments make me so happy, guys. Hope you liked today's chapter. Sorry for the kinda late update, i took a nap and comepletely forgot to post the chapter r i p


	18. A Bet and A Promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While you're upstairs with Stretch, the rest of the skeletons talk it out downstairs.  
> *Now things have gotten interesting.

Blue watched his brother and the human vanish into thin air, the growl in his throat dying down. With the human gone, they could drop their guises, and Papyrus sighed tiredly.

"I KNOW YOU ALL ARE STIR CRAZY AND ANGRY, BUT WE MUST LEARN TO CONTROL OURSELVES," he said, and the rest of the skeletons ceased their sounds. Edge groaned.

"I HATE IT HERE! THIS ISN'T MY HOME, NOR IS THIS ANYONE ELSE'S BESIDES YOU TWO," he pointed at Papyrus, then Sans. "YOU THINK IT'S OUR FAULT WE'RE PISSED OFF FOR BEING RIPPED OUT OF OUR OWN LIVES AND DUMPED HERE?"

Sans put a hand up. "yeah, edge, we get it. but there's... there's nothin' we can do."

Black scoffed. "SANS IS RIGHT. THE HORRORSHOWS SCREWED UP THE MACHINE WHEN THEY GOT SUCKED HERE. NOW WE'RE STRANDED HERE." He looked down, voice a bit scratchier. "FOR GOOD."

For a moment, everyone was silent. For the month since Skull and Crooks showed up, destroying the machine beyond repair, everyone had just been avoiding the obvious. 

"WELL, WE JUST HAVE TO TRY TO MAKE THE MOST OF IT," Blue reasoned. "IT'S A FRESH START ON THE SURFACE! WE HAVE ALL THIS HELP FROM THE KING AND QUEEN, ALL THESE NEW FRIENDS, AND THERE'S SO MUCH WE CAN DO!"

"AS MUCH AS I HATE TO SAY IT, BLUE," said Black, "IT'S NOT THAT SIMPLE."

And Blue knew that. He wished it were that simple, that they could just acclimate to the surface and everything would be okay. That they could just adapt. But they had a life in their Undergrounds. They had friends, and jobs, and their own houses. 

And they would never be able to go back.

Blue looked at Edge, who was unconsciously worrying the table cloth between his sharp, gloved phalanges. He had been the most furious about the situation, flipping tables and punching holes in Sans' door as a threat. And that was when they still had a way of getting back home.

Blue had honestly expected Edge or Black to stomp over to the little shack Skull and Crooks were holed up in and personally throttle them, but they controlled their tempers. 

Though Blue would never admit it, he admired Edge's and Black's sense of diplomacy. They had both been captains of their respective royal guards and were the strongest two in the household. 

"I KNOW," Blue replied solemnly. "BUT WE CAN TRY."

There was another beat of silence before Black spoke up again.

"PAPYRUS," he began, but startled when three voices all asked "Yes?" at the same time. He sighed. "MUTT."

His own brother looked at him. "yeah?"

"YOU SHOULD GO APOLOGIZE TO STRETCH. YOU DID INSTIGATE." He pointed at the stairs. "LORD KNOWS HE WON'T TAKE IT, BUT YOU SHOULD AT LEAST TRY."

Red waved a hand at him vaguely. "yeah, dude, why'd you say somethin'?"

Mutt was silent, eyes trained down on the table. Red stared at him for a second, before his hand fell. "...i don' believe it. you was showin' out fer the human." 

Mutt's shoulder's hunched up and Red guffawed, slapping a hand on the table. "oh... oh my god, you totally was!"

"hey!" Mutt countered. "you were showin' off by eatin' yer brother's food right in front of 'em- without flinchin'!" He waved his arms out, gesturing to the whole table. "admit it! all of us are tryin' to get on the human's good side!"

Silence once again enveloped the table, before Sans shrugged. "the human's cute."

Low murmurs of agreement rippled throughout the table. Blue saw Edge's face grow a deep shade of red. "YOU ALL ARE RIDICULOUS. I'D NEVER LET MYSELF GET AS LOW AS TRYING TO COURT A HUMAN!"

Blue laughed. "YOU OFFERED TO FEED THEM JUST THIS MORNING! YOU NEVER OFFER FOOD TO ANYONE!"

Edge's face flushed a deeper shade of crimson, and he stood up abruptly. "YOU D-DON'T KNOW SHIT, BLUE! I WAS... I WAS TRYING TO POISON THE HUMAN!" He put a finger up as if the idea had just struck him. "YES, THAT WAS PRECISELY WHAT I WAS DOING. I HAD TO TAKE THAT HUMAN DOWN A FEW PEGS!"

Mutt chuckled. "so ya' admit yer food's that bad?"

Edge sputtered, then threw his arms down and stomped in frustration. "NO, IT ISN'T! SANS EATS IT ALL THE TIME!"

Red nodded sagely. "true. it's sometimes edible." Edge growled and Red put his hands up pacifyingly.

Mutt stood up. "i'm off to find stretch, then. ya'll have fun."

He vanished in the same manner that Stretch had, a small dog treat on the ground where once stood. Red discretely picked it up and shoved it into his pocket. "...so we all have the hots fer the human, huh?"

He side-eyed his brother. "...'sides boss."

"WELL, YOU MAKE IT OBVIOUS," commented Black. "YOU'RE THIRSTIER THAN A FISH IN THE SAHARA."

Red chuckled. "guilty."

Papyrus put a hand to his chin contemplatively. "I HAVEN'T SPOKEN WITH THEM MUCH, BUT THEY DO SEEM VERY NICE!" His face went a little orange. "MAYBE... MAYBE I SHOULD ASK THEM OUT ON A DATE."

Red scoffed. "puh-lease. as if they'd say yes. obviously, the human would pick me."

"RED, YOU'VE LITERALLY ONLY EATEN A SANDWICH WITH THEM," Black pointed out.

Red grinned. "an' that was only date #1."

"THAT DOESN'T COUNT," Black hissed.

"says who?" Red shot back.

"I SAY," Blue interjected, a mischievous glint in his eye, "WE HAVE A LITTLE WAGER. THE FIRST MAN TO GO ON A DATE WITH THE HUMAN WINS."

Edge scoffed. "THE HUMAN'S A HUGE PUSHOVER. THEY'D SAY YES NO MATTER WHO ASKED."

Blue put a finger up. "WHICH IS WHY IT ONLY COUNTS IF THE HUMAN ASKS _YOU_ OUT."

Red shrugged. "what do we get if we win?"

Silence fell over the table. This had to be good, had to really be _worth_ it. Papyrus snapped his fingers as an idea struck him. "COMPLETE CONTROL OVER DINNER FOR A MONTH!"

The room was silent once again, everyone considering the bet, before Sans chuckled lowly. "...oh, now this is gonna be interestin'."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This just in: Eight different skeletons have a crush and have no idea how to deal with it.  
> I know that in most "Six Skeletons" stories, Sans, Stretch, and Red are actively trying to fix the machine but the prospect of everyone leaving at some point depresses me so in this one the machine is ~fucked~ and can't be fixed. Kinda like Thuderstruck (one of my fav underfell fics EVER) if ya'll have read it.


	19. The End of the Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Stretch finally head downstairs.  
> *You think about the future.

Questions were swirling through your mind as you stared at the door, where Mutt had stood a moment before. Though you didn't know him too well, you were used to a more guarded, tough persona riddled with flirts and prying stares. You were taken aback by his sincerity.

"...huh. wasn't expectin' that," Stretch commented from beside you. You turned to look at him, and his eye-sockets were trained on the door in the same manner you had been a moment before. "he's usually... way ruder."

He shrugged. "w-well, guess that means that whatever was happenin' downstairs 's done. let's, uh, go check on everyone, yeah?" he suggested, standing. You got the idea that, much like Papyrus, Stretch didn't like conflict. He retreated the moment everyone started growling, and now that it's over he wants to see if everyone is okay or not.

As you two made your way down the stairs, you could hear the sound of the t.v., as well as murmured talking. Everyone was in the living room, watching the same racing game from the other night on the screen. Blue and Edge sat front-and-center, shoving each other as they gripped the controllers in their hands. 

To the side, Red was muttering something to Mutt, who's face slowly shifted in interest and surprise. He began laughing, nodded slightly, then noticed you and Stretch walking down from the stairs.

"hey, human," he greeted. "come watch the game with us. ya don't got an excuse to leave this time."

Papyrus, Black and Sans, who had also been watching the game, stared as Mutt slung an arm over your shoulder and led you to the couch. He sat you down next to Red, then sat on your other side. "these two are the most fun to watch."

"you can say that again. they've had wars over this damn game," commented Red. This close, you could feel the warmth radiating off of him through his thick, fuzzy jacket. They were both warm, pressing against you and shifting occasionally. Stretch, after being abandoned by the stairs, fell into the beanbag to the couch's left as Red muttered something.

This. This was what you saw; what you felt yesterday. Everyone was enjoying themselves, idly relishing in the company like the dinner fight hadn't happened.

You liked this. You liked feeling included and welcome, falling into the welcoming aura. The companionship, the friends. They were so accustomed to each other, finding comfort and letting loose. You felt that all-encompassing admiration they felt for each other, joking and playing despite their differences and disagreements.

You wished, faintly, that you could have something like this. Your mother had always been cold and distant, and you didn't have too many close friends. But maybe, you could fit yourself into this congregation. You could finish this job and stay in contact with them. Hang out with them as you did with Alphys. Fit yourself into this family.

You shot the thought down. That was greedy and selfish, wanting to force your way into their lives just because you want to feel happy. That wasn't friendship. You barely knew them. It was a bad idea.

But then you looked out over them again. Blue was laughing as Edge fell behind, everyone cheering him on. The moment Edge regained the lead, however, everyone started cheering for the taller skeleton. They were your friends. You'd get to know them more over the next few weeks, and wanted to hang out with them more.

Edge zipped past the finish line, throwing the controller down in adrenaline and pointing a finger in Blue's face as he bragged about his victory.

Those were thoughts about the future, and they could be saved for the future. Right now, you were surrounded by this big, dysfunctional family, and you didn't want to miss a single second.

"AND YOU THOUGHT I COULDN'T DO IT! I BEAT THE SO-CALLED "CHAMPION OF MARIO KART", ONCE AND FOR ALL!" boasted Edge, throwing a triumphant fist into the air. "I HOPE YOU LIKE THE TASTE OF MY DUST, SHORT-STACK!" Blue rolled his eyes in amusement, before looking at you.

"HUMAN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TRY?" he offered, holding his controller out for you. Edge's paused his victory to glare at you, daring you to take the remote. You almost refused when Red tapped you on the shoulder.

"c'mon, sweetcheeks," he said, letting the nickname roll off of his tongue. "jus' one game."

You smiled and reached for the controller, Red and Mutt cheering quietly behind you. Edge laughed condescendingly, sitting back down on the couch. "YOU DON'T EVEN STAND A CHANCE, HUMAN. WATCH; I'M GOING TO WIPE THE FLOOR WITH YOU!"

...

Edge absolutely _creamed_ you. Once he won, he boasted in the same manner as he had with Blue, pointing and laughing like a tacky evil villain. "TAKE THAT, LITTLE HUMAN! FEEL MY WRATH AND BASK IN THE GLORY OF MY UNPARALLELED RACING SKILLS!"

You laughed, content with sitting and watching him gloat. The smile on his face was genuine, if not a bit dastardly, and you didn't want to interrupt him.

"AS EXPECTED AS SOMEONE AS GREAT AS I," he pointed to himself, "TO BEAT SOMEONE AS LOW AS YOU." He wiggled his fingers in your general direction, eye-sockets closing.

"I MEAN, LOOK AT YOU," he continued. "YOU LOOK POSITIVELY SHATTERED. ALL SAD, AND TERRIFIED, AND SCARED... AND..." He paused, his eye sockets opening as he examined you, perched on the couch with a small, amused smile.

He puttered off for a second before catching himself. "AND ABSOLUTELY _NOT CUTE_!" His face went red. "AT ALL"!

"COME ON, ROMEO," teased Black, "LET ME HAVE A GO. WE CAN ONLY SUFFER THROUGH SO MUCH OF YOUR AWFUL BRAGGING."

Black took your spot with a wink and you were once again between Red and Mutt on the couch. 

All the action of the day finally started to tug at your eyes, but your body tried to protest. Red slung an arm around your shoulder as you finally began to nod off, and you fell asleep, face buried in the warm fabric of his jacket.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wonder what Red was telling Mutt and Stretch... ( ͡~ ͜ʖ ͡°)  
> This chapter is kind of a transition chapter, but tomorrow the skeletons are gonna start getting their game on! In other news, which skeleton would you guys ask out on a date first?


	20. The Morning After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You spend the day after the sleepover with your mind occupied.  
> *Is something up with Edge?

The next morning, you woke to the gentle light of the morning sun carrying over your face from the window. The guest room you slept in was half the size of Blue's, but the bed was still comfier than the one you had at home.

Your mind ran through the previous night and your face flushed as you realized someone had more than likely carried you to the room. Was it Red? You _had_ fallen asleep on him.

You pictured yourself in his arms like a princess, his sharp smile and sharper eyes focused on your sleeping form in his arms, and your face grew even hotter. 

And he was so much bigger than you, dwarfing you by almost a foot and having a few inches on Blue and Sans. His big burly form, gently carrying you up the stairs-!!!

You covered your face. Now was not the time to think about these things! You willed yourself to think about something else, and remembered the storm. You slipped the covers off of you, thankful Red hadn't tried to take off your dirty, paint-stained clothes, and pattered to the window.

Dew glittered dreamily on the wet, green grass and the sky was clear and light- its bright blue hue gorgeously vivid. Stray sticks and twigs littered the ground from where they had been blown to by the wind. You sighed, admiring the view. The artist in you insisted this would be the perfect view to paint.

Wandering back to the bed, you wondered if there was a shower you could use. The bathroom next door, between the room you were in and Blue's room, had a small one.

You cracked the bedroom door open, scanning the hallway for any stray skeletons. With no sign of anyone, you darted to Blue's room, snatching your cardigan and phone off the floor.

You scooted to the bathroom, cardigan thrown over your shoulder, and made sure to lock the door after closing it behind you.

That shower had been just what you needed, and you had basked in the steam for a while before stepping out, reluctantly putting your old clothes back on and tying your hair up loosely. As you opened the door, steam billowed out, and you hoped it would dissipate before anyone saw. 

Walking back to Blue's room, you noticed how weird the house felt now that it was quiet. The slight noise downstairs alerted you that you weren't the only one up, but there wasn't any rowdy shouting or rough-housing.

The tarp crinkled beneath your feet as you made your way to the paint buckets. You had two walls finished, which meant you had two to go.

The day went on as you began on the third wall, enjoying a brief conversation with Blue as everyone woke up and made their way downstairs for breakfast. Despite your protests, Papyrus brought you up a surprisingly nice breakfast and sat with you as you two ate, before leaving for his workout. You were surprised to hear that they had their own workout room on the second floor.

Most of the morning went by with little interruption, and you were well into your work when someone pounded on the door. 

You turned to the door, then had to look up to meet Edge's scowling face. In his hands, he held a plate of tuna sandwiches.

"HUMAN," he barked. "AS MUCH AS IT PAINS ME TO GIVE YOU ANYTHING BESIDES HEADACHES AND NIGHTMARES, PAPYRUS WANTED ME TO... TO BRING YOU YOUR LUNCH."

His face was a slight red as he practically threw the plate at you, his sharp-toothed scowl set deep in his face. 

"Aw, thank you, Edge!" you replied. He finally looked at you, and the gentle light of the midday sun made your hair shine and your skin glow. Your smile was soft as you grinned up at him. "Would you like to eat with me?"

Edge would never, in a million years, admit how he had to stop himself from saying yes. How he had to stop himself from sitting himself on the floor next to you, scoop up a little sandwich, and talk to you about anything under the sun. You were a tiny, weak human, and he'd never lower his standards, no matter how smitten he was with you.

"UGH, ABSOULTELY NOT. YOU CAN KEEP YOUR GRIMY SANDWICHES TO YOURSELF." Your smile fell at the corners and he wished he could take back the snide comment.

"W-well, alright. Thank you for bringing me lunch, anyway," you said. Your voice was slightly quieter. He crossed his arms over his chest.

"WHATEVER. HAVE FUN WITH... WHATEVER IT IS YOU'RE DOING TO BLUE'S ROOM," he remarked, then quickly made his way to the door, slamming it shut behind him.

You couldn't let his words get to you. He had every right to hate humans, and though it wasn't okay to be racist you couldn't expect him to immediately acclimate to a species that trapped his people and himself underground. You could manage.

You sat alone, eating your lunch and watching the birds fly around in the sky wistfully. As they flew past the window, their shadows fell onto the carpet like a puppet show. Their calls were sweet and high, like windchimes.

Soon, your sandwich was finished, and you resumed painting. As much as you tried to focus, your mind kept going back to Edge. Did he really, truly hate you? You played Mario Kart with him last night and he _seemed_ to be having fun. Maybe he was just having a bad day?

Your attention remained split for the remainder of the day, and you stopped working a bit earlier than you usually would. The hint of golden hour peaked from in between the clouds, but it wasn't in full swing yet.

You gathered your brushes to take them home and clean them tomorrow, deciding that you'd stay home to do some shopping and other essentials. You thought of the impending awkward conversation with Red and the glares from Edge, but shrugged them off.

You honestly just wanted to get home and go to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edge: *Looks at MC* *Catches Feelings*  
> Edge: What the fuck  
> Edge: *Makes MC upset*  
> Edge: There. All better  
> A lot of yall responded to the skele date yesterday with either Stretch, Mutt, or Skull (ironically, of course) which I couldn't agree with more lmao. Next chapter we'll see more of two people who we haven't seen in a while, if you catch my drift ;)


	21. Double Team

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You leave the skeleton's house and take the next day off.  
> *You wonder if you'll ever get a day to yourself.

You took the stairs two at a time, seeing Red in his usual spot on the couch next to the bean bag. Sans and Stretch also sat by the t.v., watching some sort of scientific documentary. Red's sharp grin widened as you came down the stairs.

"mornin', sleepin' beauty," he purred. "hope the ride ta yer room was comfy." So he _did_ carry you. You felt yourself flush, and an odd expression crossed over Sans's face.

"anyways, ya leavin'?" asked Sans, changing the topic.

"Yep. I'm gonna take a break tomorrow to run some errands, but I'll be back the next day," you said. Red's grin twitched.

"ya won't be here tomorrow?"

"Can't. I need to get groceries."

He stared at you for a moment, prying as usual, before he grumbled and looked away. Stretch chuckled. 

"well, uh, safe trip home, painter," he said. You nodded.

"See you guys in a couple of days!"

You stepped out into the golden day, the door shutting behind you. Your face was still red from the embarrassment of being carried up the stairs, but at least you were in the clear. 

Blue was outside, holding a long, solid bone in his hand. He looked out of breath, yet smiled and loosened up when he saw you.

"ARE YOU HEADING HOME, HUMAN?" asked Blue. He was breathing heavily as if he had just exercised, and his cheeks were blue. "YOU JUST MISSED ME PRACTICING MY TECHNIQUES! WOULD YOU LIKE TO WATCH?"

You shook your head. "I've got to head home. Maybe Black would like to watch instead?"

Blue opened the palm holding the bone and it dissipated in a show of blue light. "BLACK IS WORKING AT THE MOMENT. HE TOOK ANOTHER EXTRA SHIFT- HE WON'T BE BACK FOR ANOTHER HOUR OR SO."

You nodded. "Well, I can't stay to watch. Sorry about that."

"OH, IT'S NOT A PROBLEM. I'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW!"

"I won't be here tomorrow."

He deflated a little bit, and you noticed his eye light shrinking a bit in his socket. "YOU... YOU WON'T?"

"I've got some errands to run tomorrow. As much as I wish I could, I can't come here every day."

"WELL, ALRIGHT. I HAD FUN LAST NIGHT, THOUGH! I'LL SEE YOU... NEXT TIME." He waved at you, albeit a bit half-heartedly. You waved back.

"Until next time, Blue!"

The next morning was a bustle of writing grocery lists, double-checking those grocery lists, then going to three different stores for food, painting supplies, and general toiletries. But finally, at around three in the afternoon, you were finished. 

You had even made yourself a filling, home-cooked meal, and were sitting down to eat it when someone pounded on your door. You knew that vigorous, almost threatening knocking anywhere.

Undyne kicked your door down with a loud shout, before waltzing with Alphys behind her. "SUP, WEENIE?" she greeted. You waved.

"Hey, Undyne, Alphys. Miss me much?"

Undyne flopped down on your couch and Alphys squished herself between the two of you. "O-oh, yeah. H-how have things been g-going with the new j-job?"

You shrugged. "The bedroom's coming along great. Those guys are... a huge distraction, though."

They both were silent, shooting you knowing looks, and you started stumbling over your words. "N-not like that, I mean- C'mon, you know w-what I-"

"We're just messin' with you!" interjected Undyne, barking a laugh. "They are a shit-show, though. Those idiots are, like, always fighting about _something_."

You nodded. "Yeah, I can tell."

"W-well, Sans is alright," commented Alphys. "And Black's pretty okay, too."

"Oh, Black's got a fuckin' vendetta out for me or something," said Undyne. "He's always glaring at me n' shit. Maybe his version-"

She cut herself, eyes wide, before staring again. "Maybe he's got a bad relationship with fish monsters?"

You looked at her strangely but shrugged it off. "Well, none of them have been very rude to me, besides Edge. But with him, I don't think it's personal."

"I-I think he's j-just..." She searched for the right word for a moment. "...i-insecure?"

"Ugh, no way. The only thing longer than that guy's legs is his huge-ass ego," she remarked. "He's an asshole 'cause he expects everyone to do whatever he says and gets pissed when they don't."

She then perked up, as if remembering something, and turned to you. "Did you know that the first time I met him I punched him so hard I knocked his head off?"

She regaled you and Alphys with the tale of how she knocked Edge's skull right off of his neck, then the three of you dipped into other funny stories involving the skeletons. 

Alphys stuttered through a story about the time she witnessed Stretch and Mutt get into a fistfight about an anime, Undyne told you about the time she got caught in the middle of a prank war between Red and Sans, and you told them about the surprise sleepover last night.

"...and Stretched grabbed my arm and next thing I knew, I was in the guest room," you said, making hand gestures as you walked them through the dinner argument. Undyne made a face.

"They just all started growling? Seriously?" She looked at Alphys, who had her chin in her hands. "Wonder what's got them so worked up over nothing. Maybe it's their season?"

Alphys shook her head. "N-no, no, they're boss monsters. Their season's in S-Spring." Her eyebrows scrunched up. 

Undyne shrugged. "Maybe they're just a bunch of short-fused wussies." She laughed. "Fighting over stupid shit is just their thing."

Alphys looked at you, then snapped her fingers in a 'eureka' moment. "M-maybe they're n-not fighting over _something_..." She turned to Undyne, whose grin grew wider as she looked at you.

"...they're fighting over _someone_."

Undyne grabbed your shoulders and started shaking you. "Dude! DUDE! It's like in the animes!"

Alphys had stars in her eyes. "T-ten different guys, all having a c-crush on the same girl!"

Undyne paused, looking at her girlfriend in confusion.

"There's ten of them?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Cackles evilly* ya'll thought I meant Skull and Crooks but you were WRONG! Have my fav girlfriends instead. (Don't worry, tho. I've already got the next, like, ten chapters planned out and the horror boys are gonna get some attention)


	22. The Quest (Part 1.)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You realize you only have Blue's phone number, and make it your mission to get everyone else's.  
> *Hopefully they won't make it too hard.

Undyne and Alphys stayed for dinner, teasing you a bit more about the skeletons before leaving you to your own devices. 

You sat down on the couch, stared at your phone for a good five seconds, before idly wondering how the brothers were doing. 

Blue answered on the second ring, going on a long tangent about Edge doing something in the kitchen, before asking you a question.

"YOU'RE COMING TOMORROW, RIGHT?"

You laughed softly into the phone. "Yes, Blue. I'll be there at my normal time."

"OH, GOOD. WE ALL MISS YOU, PAINTER," he said, stating it like it was a fact and not a feeling. "MAKE SURE YOU REMEMBER TO PACK A LUNCH, AS PAPYRUS AND I WON'T BE THERE TO MAKE YOU ONE, AND MY BROTHER IS AN AWFUL COOK."

"Gotcha," you replied. "Tuna sandwiches it is. Tell the others I said hi, okay?"

He was quiet for a second. "YOU DON'T HAVE THEIR NUMBERS?"

"Nope."

"YOU... YOU ONLY HAVE MY NUMBER?" He almost sounded hopeful.

"Yep."

He cleared his throat. "CONSIDER THE MESSAGE DELIVERED."

You giggled. "Thanks, Blue. Goodnight."

"GOODNIGHT, HUMAN!" he said, before hanging up, leaving you in the quiet again. You sat there and thought about the conversation, letting the fact dawn on you that you only had Blue's number. Why did Blue sound so happy about that?

Whatever the case, you were surprised you hadn't gotten any of their numbers over the last week of knowing them.

And you were about to change that.

The next day you caught Papyrus and Blue as they were leaving, and quickly darted out to meet them.

"Papyrus!" you called. "Give me your number!" You all but shoved your phone up into his face. He smiled down at you, and you noticed both he and Blue were wearing running clothes. Were they going for a jog?

"OH, HUMAN, SO GOOD TO SEE YOU!" he beamed. "I WAS SAD WHEN YOU COULDN'T COME YESTERDAY, BUT YOU'RE HERE TODAY!" You could practically see the tail behind him wagging as he took your phone from you. Blue stared, his face a mixture of shock and confusion.

"I'D LOVE TO GIVE YOU MY NUMBER! I'M HONESTLY SURPRISED YOU HADN'T ASKED SOONER," he commented. Blue turned to you.

"ARE YOU... GOING TO ASK EVERYONE FOR THEIR NUMBERS? I'LL WARN YOU," he put a finger up, "SOME OF THEM WILL TAKE IT... INTERESTINGLY."

Papyrus nodded in agreement, handing you the phone. "ESPECIALLY RED. HE'LL TAKE IT QUITE THE WRONG WAY." His eye-sockets narrowed. "AND BLACK, THAT GAMBLER, WOULD TRY TO MAKE A DEAL OUT OF IT."

You nodded, believing the bit about Red but not believing the bit about Black. However, they knew these guys much better than you do, and you'd have to take his word.

You looked down at the phone, smiling at the contact name he had written for himself. 

*"COOLEST SKELETON (PAPYRUS)" was added to contacts!

They helped you take your items upstairs, smiling and laughing as they waved goodbye. One day, you'd have to go with them.

Back inside the house, Sans and Stretch sat at the dining table, dozens of books and papers scattered on its surface between them. Stretch perked up when he saw you.

"o-oh shit, heya painter. haven't seen ya in a bit." His lax smile widened. Sans turned around in his seat to wave.

"Yeah, I had to get a lot of stuff done yesterday, and Undyne and Alphys came over for dinner," you explained. "Which reminds me; can I have your numbers?"

They looked at each other, smiling as if they were in the midst of a competition. There was a slight tension in the room.

*"sans" and "stretch" have been added to contacts!

Edge was in the kitchen, cooking something unrecognizable on the stove while his brother rifled through the fridge behind him. The taller of the two noticed you and let out a long, dramatic sigh.

"WHY, I THOUGHT YOU HAD QUIT. BEST DAY OF MY LIFE," he lamented, waving his spatula around as he spoke.

You wanted to get everyone's number, Edge included, but how would you do it? He'd more than likely say no, and you couldn't get anywhere by force. Maybe you'd have to appeal to his ego?

"Well," you started, "I only realized that I have been so rude to you, and I was very upset." He cocked an eye ridge at you but said nothing. Red looked up from the fridge to watch you.

"So, I wanted to apologize in my meager human ways," you put a hand on your chest, looking up at him through your lashes, "and ask you for your phone number." 

You held out your phone, contacts open, and Edge balked at it. Red was chuckling in the background.

"M-ME?" he asked, then seemed to realize himself and straightened up. "O-OF COURSE YOU'D WANT MY NUMBER! AND," he seemed to think, pausing, "SINCE YOUR APOLOGY WAS ACCEPTABLE, I... WILL BE WILLING TO GIVE IT TO YOU."

Red was stifling laughter as Edge snatched your phone from your hands.

*"MOST TERRIBLE SKELETON (EDGE)" was added to contacts!

He turned back to the stove after giving you your phone back, and you followed Red out of the kitchen. He started laughing, one hand on his knee as he mimed wiping a tear from his eye-socket.

"that... that was somethin' else, sweetheart," he said, before calming down enough to stand up straight. It dawned on you how tall he was, almost having a full foot on you.

You gulped and held out your phone to him. His smile turned coy.

"my number too, eh?" He snaked an arm around your waist, and you felt the sharp tips of his phalanges press against your skin. "trynna' snag me or somethin'?"

He reached out to grab your phone, chuckling amusedly. It was low and warm, and the sound sent a thrill down your spine, making you flush. "whateva' you want, dollface."

*"red hot" has been added to contacts!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huge apology for the four day hiatus, guys. Lots of shit got in the way and this sat in my drafts, half-finished, since the nineteenth. I'm gonna try to stay on track from now on, and get you guys your daily updates as promised. Thanks for reading!


	23. The Quest (Part 2.)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You try to get Mutt and Black's numbers before they leave for the day.  
> *Something seems wrong with Mutt.

You managed to shimmy out of Red's grasp and quickly darted up the stairs, your face a vivid red and your heart beating in your chest like a drum.

As you reached the third floor, you noticed Mutt leaning against his door like he was keeping watch of the hallway. Once he noticed you, he pushed off of the wall.

"human." His voice was deep and monotone.

"M-mutt?" you stammered, put off by his serious, almost threatening demeanor.

He walked up to you, and you had to crane your neck up from his sheer hight, towering over you. He had to be taller than Papyrus, probably just around the same height as Edge. He glowered down at you, and you noticed bleary, fuzzy orange dots in his eye sockets. 

"need to talk to ya' for a moment-" he looked to the side, suddenly a bit more expressive, "-about somethin' kinda important."

He settled a hand right beside your head, against the frame of the staircase. Behind you was the first step, and if you tried to back up you'd only succeed in tumbling down the stairs. You were trapped.

"later today, a _very_ unwelcome asshole's gonna be comin' over, and no fuckin' doubt he's gonna try to do somethin'." His hand on the frame tightened its grip, like the thought angered him. 

"me, my bro, red 'n edge are gonna be gone when he gets here. it'll only be the creampuff 'n stretch here when he shows." His mouth, accentuated by the twin gold fangs on his upper mandible, was pulled into a frown. "I won' eva trust _sans_ -" he spit out the name like it was poison, "-but stay by stretch if shit goes down, 'kay?"

This was the most he's ever said to you, and even if he was intimidating you recognized the concern in his words. He was concerned for _your_ safety, and enough to tell you to go to Stretch if... if...

"Who's coming?" you asked, unsure of who could bother Mutt so much. His gaze hardened from concerned to contemptful, and his clawed phalanges scraped lightly against the wood as he pulled his hand back and turned, stalking to his bedroom door.

"Mutt?" you called, and he paused for a fraction of a second, before ducking into his room.

"...you'll see," he muttered, his face concealed from view, before his door shut behind him. You were left in the silence of the hallway, confused and slightly startled, before it occurred to you that you never asked him for his number.

Furthermore, he said that he and his brother would be out later that day. That meant you didn't have much time to get Black's number.

With your supplies set up in Blue's room, you walked out the door, pulled out your phone...

...and realized you had no idea where you'd find Black. 

You had a hunch that his room was across from Blue's in the same way that his brother's room was across from Blue's brother's, but what if he wasn't in his room?

Despite yourself and your worries, you took the two steps across the hallway and lightly knocked at (what you assumed to be) Black's bedroom door. He opened it quickly and seemed to brighten up a bit when he realized it was you.

"OH, PAINTER! GOOD MORNING. DID YOU NEED SOMETHING?" He scratched at his chin, and you noticed he didn't have his usual leather gloves on.

"Two things," you began, holding your phone out to him. "One: can I have your number?"

He looked surprised and a bit flustered, if the slight purple on his cheeks were anything to go by, but then a sly smirk spread on his face. 

"YOU WANT MY NUMBER? JUST LIKE THAT?" He looked at his nails in faux boredom, eye sockets lidded. "HMM. NOT SURE IF I'M INTERESTED IN SHARING. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING FOR ME IN RETURN?"

Ah. Papyrus was right. Black was trying to strike a deal with you, to do something he probably wanted to do anyway. His smirk openly displayed that he knew he had the upper hand. He was doing something he wanted to do and get something he wanted.

You gulped. He was _good_. "Well... What do you want?"

His smile turned down-right dastardly, and he turned his head to the side to tap at his cheek with a single sharp claw.

The bastard wanted a kiss.

You shrugged mentally. It was nothing off your nose, and it would be quick. 

So, with a slight flush to your cheeks, you reached up and placed a ginger kiss to his cheek.

You were surprised by the warmth that radiated off of him, similar to Red. The smooth, ivory bone was littered with spiderweb cracks. It was slightly odd, like kissing a plate that was warm out of the microwave.

It became even odder when he immediately started purring. It was a light, constant rumble, less like his growls and more like a car engine, subdued and peaceful. His eye sockets shut as he savored the feeling of your soft lips against his cheek.

Then you pulled back, all too soon, and an unsatisfied feeling settled in his chest. You were smiling at him, your eyes bright and your face rosy and pink. It was instilled in him once again just how smitten he was over you.

His stare bore into you for a long second, before you held out your phone again. It finally clicked, and he smiled in amusement.

"WELL, A DEAL IS A DEAL, MY DEAR."

*"THE MALEVOLENT BLACK" was added to contacts!

He looked satisfied, staring down at you in mild interest. "NOW, WHAT WAS THAT SECOND THING?"

You snapped your fingers. "Oh, yeah! I wanted to ask you about your brother. Is he alright?" You shifted the phone unconsciously in your hands.

His gaze hardened a bit. "OH." He gulped. "WELL... HE HAD A BIT OF AN ALTERCATION WITH..." He trailed off.

"...with?" you encouraged. He took a breath.

"WITH... WITH SKULL," he elaborated. "LAST NIGHT, THEY FOUGHT."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very late update (its 10:58 pm for me rn) but I love the little bit of fluff in it!!! Ya'll better know he'd never washing his face again lmao


	24. Past Conversations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Black tells you about the confrontation last night (at least, what Mutt told him).  
> *Maybe you can reason with Skull?

Mutt wasn't having the best day today. For one, you weren't there, so he had no one to fluster and fawn over and no way to advance in the bet. 

His brother had to head to his job at the bar and grill early too, and Mutt knew Black probably wasn't too happy about it, either.

Those things on their own might have accomplished little more than peeving him off for a few hours, but the third atrocity to ruin his day stood at the door, staring him and his housemates down.

"...sure everyone's alright?" he heard Skull ask, his only working eye-ridge knit in concern. The creampuff stood in front of him in a lousy attempt of blocking a man twice his size from entering the house. "that human didn't hurt any of you?"

That was one thing Mutt never understood. This huge, intimidating bear of a man was always so worried over everyone else. He watched over his brother fiercely and came to the house every night, just to check up on everyone else.

The first night you had been there, he had taken a step in, inhaled deeply, then snarled so ferociously Papyrus had dropped the plate he was holding. He knew that Skull didn't have a good opinion of humans, and hoped you two wouldn't meet in the near future.

Skull's wavering, shrunken red eye flickered over everyone settled in the living room, before it settled on Mutt. Like it always did. He had hoped that their first conversation, the first words Skull had spoken to any of them, wouldn't have meant as much as it did. 

Half of what Mutt had said had only been for Skull's benefit; he had never meant to make it so personal that Skull thought it necessary to take Mutt under his wing.

However, he'd never regret it. If opening up is what got Skull to say something to anybody, then he wouldn't change a single thing about that long, lax talk, sitting in lawn chairs on the back patio under the stars.

Skull's eyelight expanded when he saw Mutt, yet shrunk a bit at Mutt's tired, annoyed expression. Faintly, Mutt reminded himself not to lose his temper. He'd had a bad day, sure, but that didn't mean he would blow up on someone he cared about.

"everyone's fine, skull," said Sans, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets. His smile was strained.

"that human's been comin' 'round again, haven't they?" he asked. Mutt leveled a glare with him despite his promise to himself.

"sure has. what of it?" He and Skull held each other's gaze for a moment, and Mutt was struck with the fact that he was the only one in the house who could meet Skull on his own level. Skull wouldn't immediately leave, growl at or attack him like the others.

"what's so special 'bout this human, anyway?" he rumbled. "cause i don't see _shit_."

"YOU'VE MET THEM ONCE!" countered Blue. One warning growl from Skull made him shut his mouth with an audible click. Mutt huffed, and Skull looked at him expectantly.

"...well?" he demanded.

"it's... it's hard to explain. they're just so different than... anyone else i've ever met." Mutt felt his anger slowly fade as he thought of you. "they're so bright, and-and understanding..."

He was silent for a moment. "...they're just... special."

Skull looked at him blankly, processing Mutt's words for a few moments. Finally, he sighed. "then i'm comin' over."

Mutt blinked. "really? if you think they're dangerous, the human's not gonna cause any problems."

Skull's stare was unreadable. "i know. if this human's so nice, then it's no problem, right?"

Mutt's right eye twitched, and Skull seemed to regret the bite in his words. "...i jus' wanna make sure." He looked down. "i ain't too privy on takin' risks."

The lankier skeleton huffed, taking a step back before turning completely and heading to the stairs.

"...whatever," he muttered, before turning the corner of the staircase and disappearing from view.

\--

"...AND AFTER THAT, PAPYRUS GOT THAT FREAKSHOW TO LEAVE," finished Black. "OF COURSE, THIS IS ALL WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD, SINCE I WASN'T THERE PERSONALLY, BUT I WOULDN'T PUT IT PAST THAT ANIMAL TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS."

"But," you began, shifting your shoulder where you leaned against the wall, "he's doing it because he cares, in a way. That's gotta amount to something."

Black opened his sharp-toothed grin to speak but was interrupted by Edge yelling his name from downstairs.

"BLACK, YOU HALF-BAKED MORON, GET YOU AND YOUR BROTHER'S COCCYXES DOWN HERE BEFORE I DRAG YOU OUT MYSELF." You held back a laugh at the name and Black rolled his eyes.

"WELL, I WISH I COULD STAY AND CHAT MORE, BUT _SOMEONE_ -" he raised his voice a bit, "-CAN'T WAIT AN EXTRA FIVE SECONDS. "

He turned around and grabbed a large duffel bag off of his door handle, then stepped out and closed the door behind him. He looked down at you with a smile.

"GOOD LUCK WITH SKULL TODAY. YOU'LL NEED IT." He said, before joining his brother at the foot of the stairs, silently descending with him.

Back in Blue's room, you readied your supplies like you had countless times before and went to work, slightly peeved that you hadn't gotten Mutt's number but promising yourself you'd get it later.

The sun rose higher in the sky as the day went on, and around two you heard a slight commotion downstairs. A small pit grew in your stomach.

Was Skull here? Was he going to try to talk to you? Or... worse?

You shuddered at the thought of violence and put your supplies down. The noise quieted, so you took that as the go-ahead. You'd walk downstairs, with Sans and Stretch to back you up, and confront Skull about his worries.

You steeled yourself, a growing confidence boosting your step.

Which fell away when you opened the door, only to be greeted by Skull's lone figure in the doorway, his single crimson eye boring a hole into your head from above.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Skull and Mutt are like estranged, slightly psychotic father and estranged, emotionally constipated son. They just want each other to be happy :')


	25. A Lone Cardinal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Skull have a conversation.  
> *Some questions have been answered, but now you have more.

Skull was silent as he glared at you from the doorway. Neither Sans nor Stretch arrived to intervene, and you sighed mentally. You'd have to have this confrontation alone.

His eye-light, bright and oh-so-tiny, expanded a bit as he watched you take a step back. You made the slightest gesture for him to come into the room, and he surprised you by laughing. It was low, guttural, and mocking.

"do you... _really_ wanna let me in, human?" he asked, his shoulders slightly shifting. 

You only repeated the action, finding your voice caught in your throat, and his bland smile widened to something more of amusement. "...if you say so."

His feet, which you noticed were bare, made surprisingly little noise as he carried himself across the tarped floor. Your heart lept into your throat as you noticed a large hatchet held behind his back as he faced away from you. 

You could only assume he didn't mean for you to see it and somehow wasn't aware that you had, going by the lack of waver in his expression and his efforts to keep the hatchet behind his back as he faced you again. Maybe the hole in his head affected his mind so much that he was unaware he even did it?

"...so, painter." He blinked, his eye light rolling in his socket to slowly take in the room. You were halfway finished with the third wall, and the fourth lay a bare white. "was hopin' you... already kinda understand why i'm here."

You gulped, finally finding your voice. "I-I don't want any trouble, Skull."

He studied you for a moment. "don't worry. i only came here-" he shifted his hands behind his back, which were still gripping the hatchet, "-to talk." 

Now that you think about it, even if you hadn't seen the hatchet so clearly you would have been suspicious of his hands held behind his back, out of view. Did he think he was being stealthy?

You slowly moved around him and plopped down on the ground underneath the window sill. You could feel a slight breeze drifting through.

Albeit slowly, Skull followed suit, placing one hand on the floor to support himself as he slowly lowered his massive body to the ground. It was like every move was a strenuous effort, or like it caused him pain.

Even when sitting, you realized, he was still much taller than you. He had to be taller than Edge or Mutt, which was quite a feat for someone so barrel-esque. 

"now..." he began, leaning in a bit. In a bit of a panic, you started rummaging through your bag. 

"we need to get something clear, right here and right now," he growled. You rummaged harder.

"if you even _dare_ to fuck with... anyone in this house," his arms moved as he slowly began to pull the hatchet out from behind his back," i will not hesitate to cleave your sorry corpse in-"

In an absolutely idiotic act of self-preservation, you shoved one of your tuna sandwiches towards him. Skull's seething, hateful stare dropped from his face as he stared at the small object, the soft bread giving under the stressfully tight grip of your fingers.

He blinked once, twice, almost in awe. 

Wordlessly, his free hand moved to slowly point to himself, his face wide in surprise as his gaze flickered to you.

You nodded, slowly and carefully.

...And his eye-light expanded to almost _fill_ his socket. With reflexes you didn't expect from him, he snatched the sandwich from your hands and devoured it. Despite his frantic state, not a single bit of tuna fell to the floor or onto his clothes.

You quickly retrieved the other sandwich from the bag and handed it to him as well, and it was devoured as quickly as the first.

He seemed... alarmingly hungry. Did he not have any food? What about his brother? Do skeletons even need to eat in the same way humans did?

Once finished eating, Skull turned back to you, his stare different from usual. It was less spiteful and more searching, like Red's constant prying gaze. 

He held eye-contact for a long moment, the smallest twitches of his eye-light visible in its now much larger size. When he finally broke it, his large pupil fell to the floor. The silence of the room was almost deafening.

"i..." his gaze flickered back to you for a second, before returning to the floor. "uh."

Another few seconds passed, and he started sweating. "uh... sorry about, uhm, threatenin' ya." He slowly started scratching at the edge of his limp, dead eye-socket. "and thanks... for the food."

He looked like he was about to say something else, head tilting up slightly, but someone knocked urgently at the door. Skull starting growling, low and thunderous, and the knocking stopped. Slowly, Sans opened the door, Stretch peaking in above him.

"...skull?" he called out, and Skull quieted. He turned to you again. Your expression was blank for a moment, before a small, soft smile spread across your face. 

The humans he had _handled_ before had been cold and stiff. Lifeless or frozen in fear.

But you seemed so _different_. So nice. So... warm.

\--

Sans and Stretch had managed to drag Skull out of the room after a few seconds; it surprised them how reluctant he was to leave. You waved them goodbye, that same sweet smile plastered on your face, and then they were alone in the hallway.

With a sigh, Sans turned to Skull. "what the hell were you trying to do?"

Skull's face was blank, and the only discrepancy was how large his pupil was in his eye. He blinked slowly.

"...that human's..." he began, looking for the right words. "...interesting."

Stretch and Sans shared a look. 

"i-interestin'... as in _good_ interestin'?" Stretch asked.

Skull nodded. "...yeah. good interesting."

Sans took a step forwards. "she is real nice, isn't she?" 

Skull grunted in affirmation, and the shorter skeleton's smile widened.

"well, i think it's time we let you in on, uh... a little bet we've been having."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sighs* like most simpletons, the way to Skull's heart is through his stomach


	26. A Precarious Balance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the day winds down, Papyrus explains the night that began Mutt and Skull's disagreement.  
> *You hope he'll be okay.

The rest of the day was strangely quiet. The birds didn't sing from the trees beyond the window, there was no activity from your phone, and Skull seemed to have left, leaving Sans and Stretch to doze off on the couch. You weren't used to the skeletons' house being so quiet since the morning you woke up after the sleepover. The quiet seemed to seep through you as you worked, finishing the third wall and beginning on the fourth.

Around half-past six, Blue and Papyrus came home. You watched their car pull into the driveway from the window, the fancy red convertible rolling to a stop on the cool tarmac. They both stepped out, their running clothes somewhat wrinkled and smudged with dirt.

As you watched them disappear into the front door below, you hoped that they'd bring a little excitement to the boring day. You waited for the inevitable moment when one of them would open the door and regale you on their day.

There was a little bit of chatter downstairs, a moment of silence, then thumping as someone raced up the stairs.

"HUMAN! ARE YOU DEAD?" exclaimed Papyrus as he shoved the door open, concern written all over his face. "SANS TOLD ME THAT SKULL CAME AND TALKED TO YOU, AND WHILE I KNOW BUTCHERING ISN'T HIS FORTE ANYMORE, I WOULDN'T WANT TO SEE A MYSTERIOUS POT OF SPAGHETTI ON THE STOVE!"

While you weren't sure what he meant, you put your hands up and assured him that you were fine. He studied your face carefully, before letting out a relieved breath.

"GOOD! SO DOES THAT MEAN HE DOESN'T HATE YOU ANYMORE?"

"I... think so. I gave him my lunch and he seemed to like that."

He pointed at you. "THERE WE GO! AN ALLIANCE THROUGH FOOD! THAT'S JUST HOW I WON HIM OVER WHEN HE FIRST SHOWED UP."

"Actually," you said, steeling yourself, "I was kinda wondering how... how he and his brother first got here."

He was silent for a moment, which was unlike him. His eye-ridges furrowed. "I... UH... I-I'M NOT SURE I CAN SAY EXACTLY HOW."

You raised a brow.

"FAMILY ISSUES."

"Ah."

He looked to the side in thought. "THE NIGHT THEY CAME WAS RATHER EVENTFUL, THOUGH. WOULD YOU LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT THAT?"

You nodded, curiosity piqued, and he sat on the cool tarp that covered the floor, patting the spot next to him. The sun was just starting to descend in the sky, and the birds finally started chirping as the crickets began calling into the pre-dusk air.

"WHEN THEY FIRST ARRIVED, JUST OVER A MONTH AGO, THEY WEREN'T VERY... TALKATIVE WITH US. AT ALL. THEY DIDN'T ANSWER ANY OF OUR QUESTIONS, NOR ASK US ANYTHING. THEY JUST STOOD IN THE KITCHEN, ACTING LIKE WE'D ATTACK THEM AT ANY MOMENT."

He looked down, his smile slightly pulling down at the edges. "IT... MADE ME WORRY ABOUT WHERE THEY LIVED BEFORE COMING HERE. DON'T GET ME WRONG; EDGE, RED, BLACK, AND MUTT ALSO CAME FROM ROUGHER PLACES... UHM, IN THE UNDERGROUND... BUT WITH THESE TWO, IT WAS..." He trailed off.

"...Different?" you finished. He spared you a glance and nodded.

"YES. VERY MUCH SO. AND THEY WOULDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT. EVEN NOW, WE ONLY HAVE BITS AND PIECES OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE. WHAT LITTLE I'VE HEARD, HOWEVER, IS MORE THAN ENOUGH. THEY'RE NOT THERE ANYMORE." He shifted in his seat, sitting up a little straighter. "NO NEED TO DWELL ON THE PAST."

"So, what got them to open up?" you asked, already having an idea of the answer.

"SURPRISINGLY, IT WAS MUTT. HE FOLLOWED SKULL OUT ONTO THE BALCONY, OFFERED HIM A CIGARETTE, AND THEY SPENT THE BETTER PART OF AN HOUR TALKING." He thought for a moment. "MUTT AND I ARE DIFFERENT IN SO MANY WAYS, BUT I THINK THAT WE SHARE A SIMILAR SENSE OF EMPATHY AND COMPANIONSHIP."

You saw that too, which you said as much, but also mentioned their apparent recent falling-out.

He nodded. "YES, THEY GOT INTO A VERY HEATED DISCUSSION A FEW NIGHTS AGO INVOLVING SKULL'S OBVIOUS... PROTECTIVE NATURE. MUTT FELT THAT SKULL WAS BEING A BIT OVER-BEARING." 

He looked down. "I OVERHEARD IT FROM THE KITCHEN, BUT I DON'T THINK THEY KNEW I WAS THERE. MUTT SAID THINGS ABOUT EVERYONE THAT I PROBABLY WASN'T SUPPOSED TO HEAR. HE SAID THINGS ABOUT SKULL AND CROOKS THAT HE PROBABLY SHOULDN'T HAVE."

"Crooks?" you questioned. "He said things about Skull's brother right in front of him?"

He nodded. "IT WASN'T KIND, NOR PRETTY. MUTT KNEW ALL THE RIGHT BUTTONS TO PRESS, WHICH IS GOOD BECAUSE THAT MEANS HE GOT TO KNOW SKULL, BUT BAD BECAUSE HE USED THAT KNOWLEDGE AGAINST HIM. MUTT HAS ALWAYS STRUCK ME AS A MAN THAT HAS A PROBLEM WITH AUTHORITY. HE TAKES GUIDANCE AND HELP FROM NO ONE BUT HIS BROTHER, AND EVEN THEN HE USUALLY CHOOSES TO ACT OUT."

There was a beat of silence. 

"That... must have been hard," you said. "Hearing all that."

Papyrus sighed. "THAT... WASN'T THE WORST PART OF IT. AFTERWORDS, CROOKS ASKED ME ABOUT THE TWO OF THEM." He smiled a bit dryly. "HE'S ALWAYS ASKING QUESTIONS."

"What did you tell him?"

"...EVERYTHING. I CAN'T LIE TO HIM- HE'S A NATURAL AT READING PEOPLE AND HE'D CATCH ME RIGHT AWAY," he explained. "I TOLD HIM THAT HIS BROTHER AND MUTT WEREN'T ON THE BEST OF TERMS. HE WAS... UNDERSTANDABLY UPSET."

His face fell a little. "SKULL WANTS THIS TO BE OVER, AS IT'S... UNSETTLING THE CAREFUL BALANCE WE'VE HAD FOR THE PAST MONTH. BUT MUTT'S STUBBORN WHEN HE THINKS HE'S RIGHT. HE'S ADAMANT THAT SKULL HAS TAKEN HIS CONCERN TOO FAR."

Silence fell over the two of you once again, and you saw Papyrus's trademark smile fall.

"THOUGH IT WAS SHAKY, WE HAD A MUTUAL CONNECTION." He looked tired. "I... I JUST WANT PEACE. WE ALL DESERVE IT."

After a moment, you put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure everything will work out. You all are family, you can't stay mad at each other forever."

The smile he gave you, hopeful and thankful, almost made you believe your own words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally back! Took a bit of a hiatus to do some planning and sort out some family stuff. I'm still not certain about going back to daily updates right now, but I should be back to normal by the end of the month at the latest. Also, since it's a bit unclear, there were two "disscussions" between mutt and skull. One that happened after the dinner that multiple people saw, and one before Painter started working that Papyrus eavesdropped on


	27. Fugacious Emotions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You head home, and the skeletons have a small conversation.  
> *Skull's appearance seems to have left everyone rattled.

You turned in for the night shortly after that. The four edgier skeletons were still out doing whatever they were doing, so it was just Sans, Papyrus, Blue and Stretch in the house. Papyrus, after taking a moment to recuperate, helped you carry your things downstairs. As you arrived in the living room, the other three gave you a concerned once-over.

"h-hey, hun. you doin' alright?" asked Stretch. He sagged in the dark blue beanbag he was sat in. "skull ain't the easiest to talk to, bein' who he is."

Sans gave him an unreadable look for a second, but it passed. "he was... actin' pretty weird. what did'ja do?"

You gulped. "Well... I let him in, and he had a..." You trailed off, your thoughts wandering back to the weapon he had with him. The intent behind it was unsettlingly clear.

Sans's eye ridge rose. "...a what?"

"...a hatchet, behind his back."

Blue's face fell a little in shock. "A HATCHET? OH MY GOD, DID... DID HE TRY TO HURT YOU?"

You shook your head. "He... was about to, but I offered him a sandwich and he... I think he changed his mind?"

There was a moment of silence before Stretch snorted indignantly. The others stared at him in surprise as he started chuckling. As he laughed, you heard little, soft "nyeh's", which was endearingly cute coming from him.

"you... heh, you offered him food... when he was about to kill you?" he questioned, his words riddled with laughs.

You puffed your cheeks out. "I did. I gave him my tuna sandwiches."

His laughter doubled, and Sans started chuckling alongside him. Blue had his hands on his hips, looking down with closed eye sockets as he shook his head. Papyrus had his nasal-ridge pinched between two phalanges.

Sans's eye lights met your eyes after he composed himself a bit, and you noticed how... natural his face looked. Usually, his perma-grin looked slapped on and was no more than an afterthought, but now it was the _real_ kind of smile, that pinched the corners of his eye sockets. His eye lights were brighter and a bit bigger. You felt like this was his real smile, not like the simple one he always wore.

"you really don't have any sense of self-preservation, do ya?" he asked amusedly, and you felt yourself flush slightly.

"Heh, I guess I don't!"

After saying your goodbyes and receiving an enthusiastic hug from Papyrus, you drove back to your apartment building. 

You clutched paintbrushes and towels in your arms as you stood in the elevator. Just as it was closing, the old lady from the floor below you hobbled in and smiled at you warmly.

"Work keeping you busy lately?" she asked.

You nodded. "Another bedroom. Work never waits, they say."

She nodded slowly. "Y' see, my cute little assistant boy is out for a few days, so I've been taking charge lately."

You shifted where you stood as the elevator began its slow ascent. "You sure you can handle being by yourself for a few days?"

She harmlessly swatted your arm. "Oh, quiet! I can handle myself just fine."

The elevator stopped at her floor, and it opened with a soft _shfft_. "Just making sure, ma'am."

She slowly made her way out, waving a dismissive hand in your direction. "You say that like I'll set fire to my apartment. I can handle four days by myself, y' hear?"

Your apartment was dark and quiet as you shoved your keys back into your messenger bag and closed the door behind you. Setting down your bag and brushes, you flicked on the kitchen light. Despite your sore muscles begging you to go right to sleep, you placed the brushes into the sink and began to clean.

Then groaned as your stomach rumbled, hungry from a lack of lunch or dinner.

\--

Stretch watched your car disappear among the trees. Papyrus stepped in, closed the door behind him, then looked at his brother with a huff. "YOU DIDN'T TELL ME SKULL WAS COMING OVER _TODAY_!"

Sans's slightly off-put look shared the same feeling. "i didn't think he would. figured he was bluffin' or somethin'."

"WELL, DID YOU TWO TREAT HIM NICELY?"

Sans's eyes closed and he shrugged casually. "tried to. we had an interestin' talk."

He looked over to Stretch apprehensively, and he was reminded of Skull's face when they had asked him. Out of all the skeletons Stretch knew, that man was the hardest to read- Stretch had a knack for it, too. The lack of knowledge unsettled him. 

There was a moment of silence. 

"DID..." Stretch's brother spoke up, his eye-ridges furrowed. "DID YOU TELL HIM ABOUT THE..."

He didn't finish the sentence, and Papyrus averted his eyes in shame. Neither of those two were very proud of themselves, participating in the bet, and Stretch knew they weren't only in it for the dinner control.

You were their reason. You struck Stretch as the type of person one could easily have a crush on. You were bubbly, open, and bright, genuine in your earnest attempts at friendship.

Stretch could predict how you'd happen. You'd come into their lives, he'd get a sick little puppy crush on you, then you'd wrap up your job and leave. He'd be heartbroken for a few days, then straighten out and laugh at his past self.

He figured he'd be able to get over you quickly. It was a silly little crush on a person he barely knew- one that barely noticed him. That was what all of them had. It would pass.

So he nodded. "popped the question right away. figured that since he seemed to be on good terms with the painter, he'd wanna part in it."

"W-WHAT DID HE SAY?" asked Papyrus, tenting his fingers unconsciously.

Stretch thought back to their offer. The challenge of getting a date out of the human. The prospect of one month of food every dinner, whatever he'd want whenever he wanted. The added benefit of absolute bragging rights. The possibility of dating someone like you.

"he, uh..." Stretch scratched at the side of his head.

"he said no."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stretch: It's unrealistic to have a crush on someone I barely know, any smart person would see that.  
> Stretch: Good thing we're all idiots.


	28. Clear Skies, Clouded Minds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Red has plans for the night, and Stretch wants to tag along.  
> *Why would they want you to come?

Another restless night, another fruitless attempt at the impossible, and another shouting fit full of words Red honestly didn't mean. 

Another night he planned to spend plastered on the countertop of a bar he wouldn't remember the name of afterward.

Another night of feeling like a failure until the booze kicked in.

Red tossed his notepad onto the dirty, cracked concrete floor. Sans looked up from his own paper, his eyebags pronounced and his shoulders sagging. "you good?"

He threw his hands up. "just fuckin' peachy!" he mocked. "i'm done wit' this shit, 's useless."

Mutt sighed, leaning back in his chair. "red, we're all sick of this, but we gotta-"

"don't fuckin' tell me what i gotta do, kid," Red interrupted, pointing a clawed, ringed finger at Mutt. The lankier skeleton started growling, but Red ignored him, turning and stomping toward the door, slamming it behind him. 

There was a moment of silence, before Stretch pushed up from his seat. "h-he's right. this is bullshit."

Sans and Mutt watched as Stretch shuffled after Red, pushing his way out the door with a huff. 

"well," Mutt mused, staring at the door, then Sans. "that's a first."

\--

Red's footsteps pounded on the stairs up to the living room. No one was up- the oven clock showed it was almost three in the morning. Way to late to consider heading out to the bar.

He huffed in annoyance as he heard footsteps pad on the stairs, and didn't even bother looking at Stretch. The lankier skeleton followed Red into the kitchen as he started rifling through the cabinets for food. 

"bug off, kid" growled Red as Stretch flicked the light on. "m' not in the mood."

"are you going anywhere?" asked Stretch insistently. 

Red turned to him. "why does it matter to ya?"

"i-i wanna go with. you're right. what we're doing is useless."

The thicker, slightly taller skeleton gave a humorless laugh. "i know it is. and no, i'm not goin' anywhere. too late to"

Stretch deflated slightly, and Red pointed a finger. "plus, yer brother said you ain't allowed to go out wit' me anymore, remember? said i wuz a bad influence."

Stretch looked down. "he ain't the b-boss of me," he mumbled. 

Red guffawed. "wow, such a rebel." He thought for a moment. "well, i might go drinkin' tomorrow night. to late to do it now."

Stretch looked up at him, his face both interested and nervous. "really?"

"yep. all night gettin' wasted. might pick a fight, lots of yellin', lots of lovely ladies, lots of action." He snickered at Stretch's reluctant face. 

"hey, i get it if ya don't wanna be a part o' the action. too intense, too out-in-the-open. yer more of a recluse. i get it." Red's face was smug as Stretch frowned.

"no, i-i can handle it fine! l-ladies, drinking, uh, y-yelling..." Red wasn't convinced in the slightest, but he let it go. He'd never really gotten to know his brother's skittish counterpart.

"if ya say so," he said. Then his grin grew mischievous.

"an' who knows. maybe we can get out dear little painter to tag along."

\--

As you knocked on the front door to the skeleton's house, something felt off. The sky was light and bright, full of thick clouds. All the cars were parked in the driveway accept one of the motorcycles. It was a beautiful day with little traffic.

Yet you couldn't push the feeling that something was wrong. 

Papyrus opened the door, chipper as ever, and quickly ushered you in. The house was empty besides Edge and Black, sitting at the dining table and pointing at a paper between them. The taller of the two caught your gaze, narrowed his eyes, and ignored you. Black waved slightly, focused on the paper in front of him.

"THEY'RE WORKING ON PUZZLES!" said Papyrus, answering your unasked question. "WE BETTER NOT BOTHER THEM."

As you made your way up the stairs, Papyrus cleared his throat. "I, UH, MUST WARN YOU. SANS TOLD ME THAT STRETCH DIDN'T HAVE THE BEST NIGHT LAST NIGHT. HE'S TIRED, SO TRY TO KEEP QUIET TODAY SO HE CAN SLEEP."

He stopped at the entrance to the third floor, letting you walk past him into the hallway. "I'll keep that in mind, Papyrus. Thank you for letting me know."

He grinned, his cheeks dusted a light orange, and he waved as he turned and left. You padded to Blue's room, pushing to door open to be greeted by the late-morning sun.

You were particularly excited to paint today, grinning from ear to ear as you set your paint bucket down and grabbed a thick brush. You were about halfway done with the fourth wall, and the rest of the room was colored with the miasmas of space. Winding and curling, vibrant indigoes and deep magentas intertwined with each other dreamily.

Once you laid down the colors for the fourth wall, you'd get to try out your paint sprayer to add more specific colors and blend the shades together to really make it look like space. During your free day, you had gone to the store to pick up more paint, as you were quickly running out.

And soon, like most days, you lost yourself in your work. The colors were just too easy to focus on, dipping your brush in and applying galaxies and vivid oceans of color as easy as breathing.

After about an hour, however, the bedroom door creaked open. You turned to see Red leaning in the doorway, idly chewing a fat cigar between his sharp teeth. "heya, dollface. gotta favor to ask ya'."

You set your brush down on the ground and gulped as he sauntered up to loom over you, pinching the cigar between two fingers to draw it away from his mouth. "you up fer a bit o' fun tonight?"

You steeled yourself, holding his gaze. "What do you mean?"

His sly grin widened. "stretch n' i 're goin' out fer a few drinks tonight. wanna come?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so first thing I just realized is that I've been using Paint Sprayers (Large tools with round cartridges for paint used to paint walls and furniture) in the story but I've been calling them Airbrushes(small-sclae tools used for things like t-shirts), but I'm to lazy to go back and change each instance of "Airbrush" to "Paint Sprayer", so just know that's what I meant. Second thing, the next few chapters are gonna be a bit more plot-heavy and maybe a little angsty so beware if you're reading in the future when those chapters are already up.


	29. A Little Tipsy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You listen to Red's request and his odd stipulations.  
> *You hope they don't get into trouble.

You could remember times when you were young, huddled on the couch while your mom howled and tittered across from you. She held a long wine glass filled with a substance to gold to be wine. She'd down cup after cup, letting them carry her away while you watched.

She had stopped before you were out of high school, and in turn, didn't want you to touch the stuff. Her gift on your twenty-first birthday, while you still lived in the college dorms, was twenty bucks and a warning to never drink.

But you were feeling rebellious and went out that night. You found that, even as a virgin, you were surprisingly adept at handling your alcohol. To you, though, that only meant you'd have to spend more than everyone else.

You stared up at Red, eyebrows knit together, and thought of that first night. You'd gotten poorly wasted, almost went home with a forty-year-old man, and cried on the car ride home.

It was one of the worst nights of your life.

So you found yourself shaking your head instead of speaking, almost like you were shaking your head at your past self.

"No thanks, Red. I'm not one to drink," you said, shrugging your shoulders dismissively.

His smile twitched slightly, then he closed his eyes. "well, maybe you can be our ride, instead. i know stretch 'n i plan on goin' all out."

He shifted on his feet, tilting his head slightly to slip the cigar back between his teeth. 

This seemed off. Something about Red's offer, about the circumstance, about _him_ seemed a bit odd. You raised a brow. "What's the catch?"

His eye light shrunk slightly in surprise before he chuckled. "you don' let nothin' get past ya', huh?" He shoved his hands into the pockets of his thick jacket. "don' tell _anyone_ we're doin' this, got it? my bro would toss me in the trash, blue boy would try to tie the kid down even more, 'n everyone else would try to keep us home."

Your lips parted, and he spoke again. "we can just go in yer car when ya leave. don' worry, we've got shortcuts outta the house easy."

Your mouth closed and you though on the offer. They seemed dead-set on going, and even if you weren't drinking you still wanted to make sure they got home safe. You had to just as much as you wanted to.

"Sounds like a plan," you said.

His sly grin opened as he drew a cherry tongue over his teeth.

"good to hear, dollface."

\--

It was hard to focus the rest of the day. You were worried about so many things going wrong, about being caught- but at the same time, you were thrilled to be doing something crazy. And with Red and Stretch, two people you wanted to get to know better?

You weren't nervous or scared. You were excited.

To add to the thrill, you found no more space on the fourth wall just as the sun was starting to set. You grinned from ear to ear as you stepped back, looking at all four walls covered in deep, cool colors. Tomorrow, you could finally start up your paint sprayer and turn this mix of colors into the deepest reaches of space.

You left your brushes in the room- you wouldn't be going straight home tonight, and you more than likely wouldn't be using them tomorrow. You simply changed out of your painting clothes, hiked your messenger bag over your shoulder, and pattered down the stairs.

In the living room, most everyone was sitting down for dinner. Red wasn't there, which you expected, but Stretch was. Everyone else was sitting down with their plates, but Blue watched with worry on his skull as Stretch took his plate and made his way back to the staircase.

He cast you a glance, bags under his sockets, and winked at you. You winked back, and he walked past you up the stairs.

Blue stared at him until he was out of sight, then sighed. You sent him a worried glance.

"Is everything alright?" you asked innocently. 

He straightened up a little. "OH, EVERYTHING'S FINE. NOTHING YOU NEED TO WORRY ABOUT."

No one else at the table seemed to acknowledge the exchange, to caught up in their own conversation, but Papyrus occasionally looked up at Blue expectantly.

You stared at him for a moment, but realized that if you pried you might blow Stretch's cover. "Alright. I just finished the base for the last wall, so tomorrow I'm gonna get started on the detail work."

He lit up at that. "REALLY? THAT FAST?"

You nodded, smiling. "Yep. You can check it out, but make sure not to touch anything."

"GOT IT! YOU HAVE A SAFE DRIVE HOME, NOW," he said, pointing at you.

And you, knowing you weren't going to drive home or have a particularly safe night, nodded. "Of course I will."

You opened the front door to the cool sunset. Swathes of pink and orange overtook the cloud-littered sky. The silhouettes of tall pine trees covered the horizon line, framed by the gentle glow of the setting sun. 

And there stood Red and Stretch, leaning against your car and staring at the peach sky. Their eye-sockets were filled with wonder, and it was so apparent that the surface still dazzled them, just like it had on the day they surfaced.

Red noticed you first, straightening up a bit and grinning as you approached. When you got close, Stretch slightly startled as he noticed you, before waving lazily.

"you ready to go?" Red asked, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the hood of your car. Both you and Stretch nodded eagerly, and he chuckled.

You slid into the front seat and Stretch into the front passenger seat, and you realized he took it because Red probably wouldn't have been able to fit. Red's skull peeked out from the back seat.

"let's get this show on the fuckin' road!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wonder if Painter's actually gonna stay sober like they claim...  
> Also it is totally canon that, when they're drunk, their shortcut ability is SO out of wack and you bet your ass Red has gotten himself stuck in a wall at least twice.


	30. Whiskey and Honey Tequila

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You go to the bar with Red and Stretch.  
> *At least one of you is sober.

As Red and Stretch directed you through town to the bar they had in mind, your head raced with possibilities for the night. Would they get into fights? Would you meet someone? Would you end up drunk with them?

The night held an enigmatic air to it, one that thrilled you and worried you at the same time. You knew they didn't invite you along just so you could play babysitter, but it would probably turn into that at some point.

"so, dollface," began Red, cutting off your train of thought, "we're takin' the route to a bar we're _quite_ familiar wit'. 's a monster bar- just in ebott city. keep an eye out; it's kinda easy ta' miss."

You nodded, keeping your eyes on the road. Ebott city was heavily populated by monsters- it surrounded the thick forest and towering mountain that monsters had emerged from. You'd been there a couple of times.

After a bit more guidance from Red, you were pulling up to a small, cozy-looking diner with a few neon signs lighting up the front door. 

"you have reached your destination," joked Red, opening his door and sliding out. You shut your door behind you and locked it, watching Stretch almost trip coming out of the car.

As you two walk up to meet Red, he slung an arm over your shoulder. He gestured vividly to the bar. You noticed Stretch stand off to the side, eyeing the door warily.

"welcome to grillby's," announced Red.

He pushed the doors open, his smile wide, and you were first greeted by how _warm_ it was in there. There were hanging lights over every table, and a line of them above the bar.

And behind the bar, was a man on fire. 

He wore a smart shirt, a black vest, and had a pair of glasses perched on the plume of fire that was his head. No one seemed to care, so you tried not to notice. You could only assume he was Grillby.

Grillby's head tilted up slightly as he noticed your party of three, his glasses gleaming in the light. Red's arm was still around your shoulder.

"ey, grillby! this is that human i was tellin' ya about." He slid up to sit at a stool like second nature, dragging you with him. You gasped as you almost fell, and Red chuckled. "ain't she cute?"

Stretch sat at a stool to your right, leaving you with one to sit on between them. You realized it was Grillby who was radiating heat, and then blanched as he turned around and started grabbing bottles of alcohol.

He was either insanely good or insanely stupid.

Stretch and Red didn't seem to be phased, however. The bartender poured a pair of shots for Red and a small glass for Stretch. He looked at you for a moment and you politely declined.

The two seemed to know most people here, laughing with patrons as they slowly made their way through drinks. 

After four shots, Red seemed louder, pounding his fists on the counter and shouting across the room. His cheeks were stained a faint red, and his eye lights were larger, brighter, and fuzzy. 

Stretch seemed to open up a bit after a few of his drinks, laughing at Red's jokes and making small talk with you.

"we had something like this i-in the underground," he explained, nursing his third drink. The ice clinked together against the chilled glass. "but i never went. there was this bakery, though. muffet's. _fuck_ , it was good. they, uh, have somethin' like that here, but it's not the same."

You had your own cup of water, half-empty and now lukewarm. "It's run by the same person though, right?" you asked.

He shrugged. "i-i mean, yeah, but it just ain't the same. she ain't the muffet i knew. got a few screws loose."

"oi, squirt, try one o' these," called Red, passing one of his shot glasses down the counter. Stretch caught it and eyed it warily.

"i dunno, red. you drink some strong shit."

Red guffawed. "what, to much of a pussy to take one little shot?" He shot Stretch a challenging look, and Stretch cast a glance at you.

Wordlessly, he knocked back the shot.

He then started coughing, and thumped his chest a few times before regaining himself and setting the shot glass face-down on the counter. "you c-call that strong," he choked between coughs, trying to stay straight-faced.

Red roared with laughter, throwing his head back and banging his fist on the counter. "yer face is fuckin' priceless, dude!"

You laughed a little, and Stretch's face flushed a honey orange.

As the night went on, you saw how the drink only added to Stretch's liquid comfort. At one point he started complaining about the heat then stripped his hoodie off, tying it around his waist. He had a black tank top underneath, dipping low to show his ribcage and collar. He noticed your stare and winked.

It was overall a nice night, though. You liked the company, enjoyed the diner, and only decided it was time to leave when Stretch fell off of his stool and Red almost toppled over from laughing at him.

It was a difficult feat getting them into the car. Stretch tripped a couple of times before falling into the passenger seat, and Red was adamant about staying and refused until you started pleading with him. After some effort, you were back on the road.

Red was drifting in and out of consciousness and Stretch seemed hypnotized by the trees rolling by as you drove through the dense, dark forest.

"h-hey, painter," Stretch began as you turned onto the road that led to their driveway, "i was wonderin' if you'd ever want to get drinks again sometime. just, uh, the two of-"

He petered off, dread slowly dawning on his face as he stared ahead. 

You turned and saw Blue, tapping his foot, standing at the front door with his arms crossed and a tight scowl on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blue, watching Painter pull up with Stretch and Red: oh, this bitch  
> YOOOO, 10000 hits???? B R U H ya'll are the fuckin best wtf???


	31. Ties and Bonds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blue confronts you and Stretch about leaving in secret.  
> *How are they so... okay with each other?

There was an awful, fearful quiet that hung in the air. Though the car droned on, the wind howled through the trees, and Red snored in the backseat, the cold nervousness that dawned from the sight of Blue standing on the front porch muffled them.

Slowly, Stretch pushed open the passenger side door and stood to his full height. He was rigid and slightly sweating.

"AND WHERE WERE YOU?" asked Blue, his eye-ridges furrowing. 

Stretch shifted slightly, moving his torso to make room for the car door to shut. In the glow of the patio light, you could see his face twisted in guilt as he looked down. "d-drinkin'..." He nervously tugged his hood over his head. "...again."

Blue's face softened for a moment before he pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh. There was another span of silence.

God, this was hard to watch. You understood both points of view, and you knew that Blue was only upset because he was worried, but you wondered if it would be wise to intervene or just bite your tongue.

You turned back to Red to gather his opinion, but the backseat was empty.

"BROTHER, I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE STRESSED OVER MANY THINGS, BUT ALCOHOL ISN'T THE SOLUTION. AND ESPECIALLY WITH THAT HEATHEN, RED! AND THE HUMAN..." he trailed off, finally looking at you. You shrunk back slightly. There were slight creases under his eyes, and his shoulders sagged. You wondered if he had been looking for his brother all night, then wondered what time it was.

Slowly, you unbuckled yourself and slid out of the car. "Blue, I-I'm really sorry. We just wanted to have a bit of fun, but it was wrong for us to go behind your back like that."

"y-yeah," said Stretch, braver to add on to your words. "i mean, you're right- a lot of shit's goin' down, and it r-really sucks. i just thought i'd be able to, y'know... sort myself out." He ducked his head. "jus' didn't wanna bother you."

"WELL, THIS ISN'T THE WAY," he huffed. "AND YOU... YOU WOULDN'T BE BOTHERING ME, BROTHER." He stepped off of the steps and into the cold grass. Dirt and gravel crunched underneath his shoes.

"but-"

"'BUT' NOTHING, PAPS." Blue reached him and rested a hand on his forearm. "I'M YOUR BIG BROTHER. I WANT YOU TO BOTHER ME WITH YOUR PROBLEMS BECAUSE I WANT TO HELP YOU THROUGH THEM. YOU CAN COME TALK TO ME."

Stretch's shoulder rose and fell as he sighed before he smiled, lowering his head down to rest on Blue's shoulders. "...love ya, bro," he mumbled, though it was muffled a bit by the fabric of his older brother's shirt.

"I LOVE YOU, TOO," replied Blue, smiling.

They stayed like that for a moment, basking in each other's company under the porch light and the glow of the moon, before Blue patted Stretch's back. The taller of the two was swaying on his feet. "WE SHOULD HEAD INSIDE. YOU ARE SEVERELY DRUNK."

Stretch chortled. "didn't notice."

Blue turned his gaze to you. "THANK YOU FOR KEEPING AN EYE ON HIM. STARS KNOWS WHAT KIND OF TROUBLE HE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN INTO IF IT WAS JUST HIM AND THAT FREE-LOADER."

You nodded, glad they made up so quickly. "Any time. Speaking of Red, tell him I said 'Goodnight'."

Blue huffed as he followed his brother back up the stairs. "OH, I HAVE SOME CHOICE WORDS FOR HIM, ALRIGHT."

You chuckled, and they waved as you sat back in your car. "have a safe trip home, painter," said Stretch.

"I will. Goodnight, Stretch," you replied, smiling.

They closed the door behind them as you pulled out of their driveway and into the dark woods.

Maybe you should call your mother when you get home.

\--

Stretch's head was cloudy from the drinks, but the yelling coming from the living room pounded on his skull like a drum. Though his confrontation with Blue had gone down smoothly (in part thanks to your help), it seemed Red wasn't facing the same mercy.

Out of every doppelganger and alternate self Stretch had ever met, no one angered him like Edge. He was bold, loud, and commanding, and on top of that had been spoiled as the little brother. 

The biggest thing that separated him from someone like Black was the fact that he didn't see the limitations of others (or he just didn't care), and expected everyone to bend to his wishes or demands.

Even when it came to his relationship with his own brother.

As he and Blue slipped past the two verbally duking it out in front of the t.v., Stretch had to acknowledge the fact that those two _did_ still love each other. They were Sans and Papyrus. They were brothers. And Stretch had seen their small, faint sentiments. 

He understood that they had to pretend they didn't care back where they came from. They could be used as weaknesses- they could have their ties exploited.

But even then, their underground had hardened them to the point that they didn't know how to start caring again. Eventually, they'd have to learn. Slowly but surely, they would have to learn to show their care and be kinder to each other.

As Stretch reached the base of the stairs, he watched Edge summon a couple sharp, splintered bone attacks as he seethed at his brother.

He just wondered when that day would come.

\--

Your phone fell out of your hands as you flopped down onto your bed. Though the positive ending with the brothers had lifted your spirits, your mom had bashed them right back down. 

The conversation had sapped your energy out of you. You wondered why you had naively thought this time would be different.

No matter what, you loved her. She was your mother, and she had cared for you your entire childhood. You liked her, but not the choices she made. Not her choice of words. Not her constant nagging and berating.

You let your eyes close as you lost yourself in your thoughts. Tomorrow was another day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Awright, so I've got a few announcements.  
> First off, as you all probably know a lot of shit is goin' down. Like, a lot. Because of this and a couple other family things, I'm gonna have to take a few weeks' break. Get my shit together, y'know. I'll be back *June 20th* with daily updates. In the meantime, I'll pre-write a bunch of stuff and try to get bit of my life sorted out. Thanks again for your patience. :)  
> Secondly, I'm not really sure how I feel about the 1k format. What would you guys think about writing more normal chapters? They'd still be at least 1k, but they'd definitely vary in size.  
> And thirdly, what do you guys think of the whole Mom sub-plot? A lot of "Six Skeletons" stories I see only focus on the skeletons, and that kinda irks me, so a wanted to have a secondary conflict that would take some of the focus off of the skeles and focus more on the painter and her life.  
> Again, love you guys so much, and thanks for stickin' with me! I'll still be active and will try to respond to comments as soon as possible. I love reading your comments so much, it just makes my day :)  
> Stay safe, guys


	32. Damage Control

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after your bar escapade, you have a few very different conversations with a few very different skeletons.  
> *It seems you and Edge have something in common- worrying about Red.

You woke up that next morning to soft knocking at your front door, carrying through the small studio apartment like a drum. The time was earlier than you'd like, yet light still filtered from your window. You slipped out of bed and padded to the front door.

Your apartment was a bit of a mess, as you had been restless once you arrived home last night and worked on a few smaller paintings to clear your mind. Staying up late last night, paired with being woken up at a foreign hour, left you a bit groggy as you stumbled around your coffee table and unlatched the front door.

Juniper, the old lady downstairs, stood at your door with a wry smile on her face. "Not much of a morning person, are you?"

You managed a chuckle, shrugging. "Guess I'm not. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Well," she huffed, "I figured that since you're always working so late, I'd cook you dinner tonight. I take it you haven't had a nice, home-cooked meal in while."

You thought back to all the lunches the skeletons usually brought you during the day and smiled. "That's nice of you. Is your assistant back?"

Juniper waved a hand dismissively. "Bah, I don't need him to do everything for me. I was quite the cook back in my day, I'll let you know. He'll be back tomorrow morning. We'll have to be sure to save him some leftovers."

You'd only met Juniper's caregiver a handful of times. He was a tall, bearded man with a kind smile and a bit of an accent. He seemed more than nice enough.

"Well, I'd love to come over to yours tonight. I might be a bit late, though," you said.

"Come whenever you like. Just knock loud enough for my old ears to hear and I'll let you in. I'm in number 25." She turned and started making her way to the elevator door at the end of the hall. "I'll see you there, girlie!"

You waved at her, shutting your door once the elevator closed behind her.

\--

As you pulled up to the skeletons' house later that morning, a small, cold dread started to pool in your stomach. After last night, sneaking out without anyone else knowing, would the others be upset with you?

Just the thought of any of the guys being angry (besides Edge) made you feel a bit guilty, so you exited the car as slowly as possible and took your time walking to the door. You stared at the door for a long moment before knocking on the brown wood. The door swung open immediately.

"HUMAN!" greeted Papyrus. "I WAS GETTING WORRIED! YOU'RE USUALLY PROMPT, BUT YOU WERE TWO MINUTES LATE TODAY AND I WAS STARTING TO THINK YOU HAD BEEN MAULED BY A BEAR." His eye sockets narrowed. "OR SKULL."

He ushered you inside, where Blue and Edge sat on the couch. The taller of the two was glaring harshly, practically willing your bones to snap under his gaze. Blue waved cheerfully. "GOOD MORNING, PAINTER. DID YOU GET HOME ALRIGHT LAST NIGHT?"

You nodded, and Edge scoffed, but said nothing. "I'm, uh, sorry again about last night."

Blue waved a hand. "OH, IT'S NO PROBLEM-"

"UH- YES, IT IS!" interjected Edge, fed up with the conversation before it even really began. 

The blue-clad skeleton turned to meet his stare. "EDGE, PLEASE, WE ALL KNOW YOU'RE CONCERNED BUT THERE'S NO REASON-"

Edge slammed a gloved hand down on the coffee table. "I HAVE EVERY REASON TO BE ANGRY! THAT SCUM SNUCK OUR GOD DAMN BROTHERS OUT TO THAT OLD GREASE TRAP AND CAME BACK WITH THEM UTTERLY DRUNK. DO YOU REALLY WANT SOMEONE LIKE THAT IN OUR HOME?"

Papyrus took a step towards them, his hands up. "PLEASE, LET'S NOT DO THIS RIGHT NOW. IT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN THE BEST DECISION, BUT IT'S BETTER THEN THE TWO OF THEM GOING OUT ON THEIR OWN."

Edge stood to his full height, towering over both Blue and Papyrus, and pointed a claw. "AND IT'S LEAGUES WORSE THAN THEM GOING OUT AT ALL. I REFUSE TO STAND BY WHILE THIS HUMAN ENCOURAGES MY TRASH OF A BROTHER'S AWFUL HABITS. HE'S BAD ENOUGH AS IT IS- HE DOESN'T NEED AN ENABLER."

He turned to Blue. "AND DO YOU TRULY WANT YOUR LITTLE BROTHER BEING INFLUENCED THE SAME? THAT SAD, LIMP NOODLE OF A SKELETON IS EASILY IMPRESSIONABLE- WHO KNOWS HOW HE'LL ACT IF HE HANGS OUT WITH THAT FUCKING HEATHEN!"

Blue crossed his arms, eye sockets narrowing. "DON'T TELL ME HOW TO LOOK AFTER MY OWN BROTHER. THE HUMAN ISN'T A BAD INFLUENCE IN THE SLIGHTEST."

The taller skeleton threw his arms up in exasperation. "THAT _WENCH_ SNUCK THEM OUT OF THE HOUSE TO GET WASTED WITHOUT OUR KNOWLEDGE LAST FUCKING NIGHT!"

Papyrus stamped his foot. "EDGE, THAT'S INCREDIBLY RUDE!"

"I DON'T GIVE A SHIT! I'LL CALL THAT TRAMP EVERY NAME UNDER THE SUN IF I WANT TO! YOU ALL CAN SIT IDLY AND LET THE HUMAN DOES AS IT PLEASES, BUT I'M NOT NEARLY AS LENIENT OR CARELESS."

He pushed past Papyrus towards the staircase but stopped to spare you the coldest glare you've just about ever received. "I'VE GOT MY EYESOCKETS ON YOU, SCUM. DON'T THINK ABOUT TRYING ANYTHING IN MY HOUSE."

And with that, he stomped up the stairs and out of sight. 

The silence he left behind was thick enough to have been cut with a butter knife, and Papyrus's footsteps were deafening as he walked up and put a hand on your shoulder, offering a smile. "I SUPPOSE THERE ARE MORE POLITE WAYS TO SAY HE'S WORRIED ABOUT HIS BROTHER, BUT EDGE IS DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT RED'S BEHAVIOR AND CHOICES. HIS METHODS OF VOICING THIS CONCERN, THOUGH, ARE... LESS THAN TACTFUL."

And suddenly, Papyrus seemed so much more mature. "PLEASE- I KNOW YOU MEANT TO HARM, BUT YOU THREE HAD US ALL WORRIED. NEXT TIME, GIVE MORE CONSIDERATION TO YOUR ACTIONS."

You felt shameful, like you had just been scolded by a teacher, and bit your lip as you nodded. Papyrus patted your head. "GOOD! I SUPPOSE IT WAS BETTER THAT YOU WERE WITH THEM, BUT THOSE TWO CAN GET INTO QUITE SOME TROUBLE WHEN THEY'RE TOGETHER. BE MORE CAREFUL NEXT TIME, THAT'S ALL!"

And that was that.

You quickly excused yourself up to Blue's room, sparing a hesitant glance to the second floor as you passed it. All four doors were shut.

Letting the door to Blue's room shut behind you, you let out a breath. The simple solution would just be to ignore Edge- to let his anger filter away and go back to simply ignoring each other's existence.

But you had genuinely hurt him. Though he was absolute garbage at showing it, he had been worried about his brother and had every right to be mad at you.

You took a few more breaths, steeling yourself. You were going to go to his room, knock on his door, and apologize as genuinely as you could. Whether he'd actually accept it or not was a whole other story, but at least you'd have put the effort in.

So you left Blue's room and slowly made your way down to the second floor. You could probably guess which room was Edge's, if the large slash marks, multiple cracks, and caution tape wrapped around the middle door on the right was anything to go by.

You gulped once and knocked on the door. It immediately swung open to a face you'd normally run away from. Sharp, manacing teeth pulled into a scowl beneath angled, dark eyesockets with red slits for pupils. He looked like a demon or a dragon, hellbent on murder.

"Edge, I know you probably won't believe me, but I wanted to apologize-"

"SHUT THE ACTUAL FUCK UP." he interrupted, seething. "YOU THINK I CARE ABOUT YOUR BULLSHIT, HALF-BAKED ATTEMPT AT AN APOLOGY?"

He leaned down to come eye-level with you. "I'D RATHER LOCK MYSELF IN A CAGE WITH A STARVING TIGER THAN LISTEN TO YOU GROVEL. YOUR APOLOGY DOESN'T MEAN SHIT TO ME. YOU'RE RIGHT- I DON'T BELIEVE YOU. AND I NEVER WILL."

You cast your eyes to the ground, silent as he continued. "YOU DROVE MY BROTHER AND THAT WET BLANKET OF A SKELETON OUT TO GET DRUNK, ALL WITHOUT LETTING ANY OF US KNOW! GOD, MY BROTHER DOES THAT ENOUGH ON HIS OWN. HE'S NEVER HOME AT NIGHT!"

He went quiet, staring at the ground with his eye-ridges knitted and his teeth closed tightly. And right there, you didn't see that seething man. You saw a man worried about his brother, going out with strangers to get drunk to cover up something he was upset about. 

Boy, did you feel like shit.

"You... really are worried, aren't you?"

He huffed. "OF COURSE I'M WORRIED, YOU MORON. HE'S MY BIG BROTHER. HE SHOULD IN THE _VERY_ LEAST TELL ME WHERE HE GOES, BUT HE'S GOT SOME SORT OF LONE WOLF MENTALITY."

You nodded slightly, sighing. "It... it worries me, too."

His eye lights cut to you. "BULLSHIT. YOU DON'T KNOW HIM."

"You're right, I don't," you agreed. "But I want to. He's... he's my friend. The fact that he does this all the time _does_ make me a little concerned. I can't say it's even close to how you feel, but I care, too."

Edge's eyes seemed to bore holes into you. "HE'S... YOUR FRIEND? YOU WANT TO BE FRIENDS WITH MY BROTHER?"

You met his stare, albeit hesitantly. "Yes."

His features softened a minuscule bit. "DAMN. NEVER THOUGHT I'D SEE THE DAY SOMEONE WOULD _WILLINGLY_ WANT TO BEFRIEND MY TRASHBAG OF AN OLDER BROTHER."

He was silent before sighing. "IF YOU REALLY WANT TO BE FRIENDS WITH... WITH RED, DON'T EVER PULL SHIT LIKE THIS AGAIN."

He stood to his full, intimidating height. "TAKE ONE WRONG STEP AND I'LL DECAPITATE YOU, STICK YOUR HEAD ON A POLE AND SHOVE IT UP YOUR ASS."

Your eyes widened at the threat and the fact that, being Edge, he was probably serious. "Y-yeah, got it."

"GOOD." He turned, walking back into his bedroom. "AND DON'T THINK ABOUT BOTHERING ME AGAIN..." he trailed off, his hand on the doorknob.

"...PAINTER."

He slammed the door behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back babey!!! A little bit of a rocky chapter to kick things off, but the future looks bright! After writing, I realized that I might not be able to sustainably write this length every day, so I'll update on Saturdays and Wednesdays. Hopefully that'll give you guys enough content and me enough time to write 2k and above chapters :)  
> Also, I'm a member of the Edge fan club and ya'll can fight me on that lmao


	33. Kindling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *...

You walked with a skip in your step back to the bedroom. Apologizing to Edge had gone much better than you had anticipated, and you hoped the two of you were now on good terms.

You had a fruitful day ahead of you- finally using the paint-sprayer, the occasional visits from your friends, and a warm, home-cooked dinner in with your neighbor after a long day's work.

With a sigh, feeling the gentle sun hit your back, you started up the paint-sprayer and got to work.

The hours seemed to roll by as the clouds drifted past the sun. The sounds of the machine droned on as you lost yourself in your work, focusing on turning the seemingly random colors into intertwining, distant galaxies.

You fell out of your focus as the silence seemed to stretch, and began to consider playing music when someone rapped on the door. Red pushed it open, with Mutt standing behind him.

"heya, doll. got a minute?" he asked, rubbing his neck.

"Uh, sure. What's up?" You turned off the machine, setting the handle in its holster. The afternoon sun sent bright beams of light through the window and onto the tarp-covered floor.

"well...," he began, stepping into the room. Mutt was silent, following him and shutting the door. "i, uh, wanted to apologize for last night."

You blinked. You really weren't expecting it to be brought up again, let alone as an apology.

"i heard you talked to my bro this mornin'..." he paused, then snorted. "heh, kinda amazed you're still alive-" 

Mutt slapped the back of Red's head lightly, and the shorter skeleton cursed.

"fuck- hey!" He whipped around, only to wither as he received a cold glare. He huffed. "fine, fine."

He turned back around and continued. "i shouldn't have left ya last night, okay? was a dick move, n' i should have stayed n' faced the music instead of... 'stead of runnin' off." He looked down at the floor, his smile thin.

You gulped. While it was obvious Mutt was hounding Red to apologize, his words still sounded genuine. His eye ridges were furrowed and there was a slight sweat on his head.

"N-no, it's fine," you assured. "Everything was taken care of, as far as I know. You were just stressed and wanted to deal with it. We all have those days."

Red looked up at you, his eye light a little brighter than usual. "heh... guess you're right, sweetheart. an' don't worry, i got a bit of a ribbin' when i got home by my fuckin' _angel_ of a brother-"

Mutt swatted the back of his head again. Red whipped around. "cut that off, dog! fer fuck's sake, man."

"don't know if you noticed, but your brother was worried sick, dude. try to take things seriously for once," he growled. Red's eye lights shifted down as he started grumbling.

"Well, I think it was a nice apology," you said lightly, and Mutt stared at you for a moment before shrugging his shoulders.

"sure ya did," he snorted. "...did ya bring any food with ya?"

Soon, you, Red, and Mutt were sat on the floor, sandwiches in hand as the two skeletons traded stories.

For the last ten minutes, Mutt and Red had each shared their retellings of different stories from the surface. Red had told a good one about a dog-park trip gone wrong, but nothing topped Mutt's regale of the first time he and his brother had visited a mall.

"-and there was this huge corndog for sale- i'm talking like a foot long!" Mutt was animated, gesturing the size with wide eye-sockets and a light purple tint to his cheekbones. Red had his face in his hand, smiling and shaking his head. Light smattered the floor and peppered their ivory bones, highlighting each dimple and crack along their surface. 

"and i knew i had to have it. i shit you not," he turned to you, "it was like the thing was calling to me."

"dear fuckin' god," lamented Red, his shoulders bouncing.

"so i turn to my bro and go-"

Loud knocking interrupted Mutt, while Red groaned.

"eh, 's probably just my bro," he drawled.

Blue opened the door and stepped in. He looked startled, almost queasy. His usually large eye lights were shrunken to distant pinpricks. The light mood suddenly fell like a cloud drifting in front of the sun.

"HUMAN... COME DOWN STAIRS- YOU NEED TO SEE THIS." He looked down and gulped. "I'M SORRY."

You, Red and Mutt followed Blue down the stairs and into the living room. The news was on and all skeletons surrounded the t.v., watching in silence. There was a thick, disturbed cloud in the air, almost tangible. If you were focused on it, you would have chalked it up to magic.

"...reportedly raged on for over an hour. Investigators say it began in an elderly woman's kitchen on the second floor," the t.v. cut to an absolutely scorched kitchen, where black clung to the walls and debris littered the tile floor, "and quickly spread to the floor above, completely engulfing four apartments and mildly damaging six. Luckily, these apartments were all empty, and the elderly woman was rescued with only minor burns."

The camera cut to a shot of the apartment building, _your apartment building_ , and your throat tightened as your heart sunk. "Apartment number 34," _your apartment number_ ," 35, and 36 as well as the woman's apartment, 25, were all burned completely. Investigators say it cost nearly-"

The t.v. was shut off. You all sat in silence, every one blankly staring at the now black screen as the reality slowly sunk in.

All your things. All your clothes, all your supplies. All your work. 

Your home.

Burned beyond repair, lost forever.

You'd have to find a new apartment- you had renter's insurance, though you doubted your landlord would be able to pay for everything either way. A motel, maybe? Oh, god, you had no clothes, no supplies- all your furniture and books and-

Slowly, stiffly, your knees bent as you crumpled to the floor. A fat, hot tear rolled down your face, then another, and you simply stared ahead of you as you began to cry. You turned so your back was facing the couch and you could sit back on it for support, pushing the palms of your hands into your eyes so you didn't have to see the washes of pity on anyone's faces.

No one dared to touch you, or to say anything- just staring as you cried over the loss of everything you'd worked so hard to get.

Your head was a bit foggy, and you were trying to piece everything together as you bunched your knees up to your chest protectively. Why you, why now? All because of one elderly woman cooking a dinner- for you! Oh god; if you hadn't said yes to her proposal, would any of this even happened?

There was a hand on your shoulder and you looked up into Blue's large, kind eye-lights. He looked tired and worried, concern knitted into every divot and edge of his round skull. "DO YOU HAVE ANYWHERE TO STAY?"

No, you immediately knew, you didn't. You thought of moldy, questionable and expensive motels, of your own scorched bedroom. Your mother, despite the obviously dire situation, would shut the door in your face if you knocked at it. And even if she did let you stay, you'd constantly be at each other's throats.

So you shook your head and sobbed, tasting your own tears as your lips parted. Blue looked up as someone's deep voice said something behind you, and he nodded, gently tugging you up by your arm. You refused to stand, however, too afraid that your legs would give out on you and provide another reason for everyone to look at you in pity.

Blue's eye searched yours for a second before he leaned over and picked you up, one hand on your shoulder blades and the other under your knees. You gripped tight onto the thick fabric of his bandana before burying your head in his chest. Silently, he started to carry you.

Papyrus and Stretch followed him up the stairs. He made it to the third floor and walked right past his room, stopping at the last room on the right so he could toe the door open. It was the room he was staying in while you painted.

You considered wriggling in his arms, not wanting to intrude, but didn't fight as he lowered you onto the bed. You stared blearily up at the white ceiling, your thoughts moving mile-a-minute.

Blue and Papyrus stepped out of the room and Stretch sat on the edge of the bed, wiping your tears with a crooked index finger. His face was somber.

Finally, you found it in you to sit up, leaning against Stretch's side at his insistence. You gulped shakily as the sound of voices drifted in from the hallway.

The door slowly cracked open, and Sans peaked in. His grin was gone, teeth pulled down in a small frown that didn't suit him well. "h-hey."

You blinked at him. "listen, we were talkin', an' we figured we'd help ya out. we trust ya, an' alphys really trusts ya, so you can stay in the guest room across the hall for as long as ya need while ya sort things out, 'kay? once you get settled in, she n' i will help ya figure out what's next." His tone was surprisingly tender and genuine.

Sans relaxed slightly as you offered a small smile. "...Y-you'd really do that?" Your voice was hoarse and you cleared your throat.

"OF COURSE WE WOULD," said Papyrus. He put a hand on your shoulder. "YOU ARE A VALUED FRIEND, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO HELP IN THIS TRAGEDY!"

"yeah, hun," muttered Stretch beside you, his low voice right next to your ear. "we've got you covered."

You smiled at him, then turned to look at the others. Edge's head peered out from behind the door, and Black's peeked out underneath. "Thank you, guys. Thank you so much," you said, voice quiet and wavering.

Sans's smile came back, albeit a bit thin. "happy to help ya', painter."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> h o l y shiiiit so ya'll lowkey predicted this happening when i first introduced juniper and I was so proud <:') I did a lot of research into the actual legal shit cuz I don't live in an apartment so my search history is just full of "what to do after apartment fire" so my fbi agent is probably all sorts of confused. also while the reader is now technically residing in their house, she's not a permanent resident (atm ;) )  
> so in these next few chapters I'm not *quite* sure how things are gonna go. I have a vague plan, but what do you guys wanna see next? possibly more s a u c y skeletons? more of skull and crooks? more of mom? alphys and undyne?  
> hope ya'll are staying safe and practicing fire safety!


	34. Turning a New Leaf

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two weeks after the fire, you finally start picking your self back up. Blue plans a family dinner.  
> *You hope it doesn't go like the last one

"Alright," you breathed, your hand tightening ever so slightly on the doorknob. You felt the texture of thick smears of dried paint covering your hands as your fingers wrapped around the cold metal. "If there's anything you don't like about it, let me know. The star placements should be pretty accurate, and the colors should balance each other out enough, but maybe you'd prefer-"

"PAINTER, I'M SURE IT'S PERFECT!" Blue reassured, bouncing on the heels of his feet. Stretch seated a hand on his shoulder. "JUST SHOW US, SHOW US, SHOW US!"

Edge scoffed, fingers digging into the leather of his jacket as he crossed his arms. You chuckled at Blue's enthusiasm. "Okay, okay," you chuckled. "You've waited long enough"

You pushed open the door, and everyone awed at the gorgeous, swirling hues. Intricate webs of colors connected blossoming violets to fine periwinkles, all framed by a deep Prussian blue. Brighter colors, like pinks and yellows, occasionally peaked out from the cooler patches, each colorful cloud filled with stars. On the ceiling (which wasn't popcorn, thank god) was a map of the zodiac constellations, painted a lustrous silver.

"P-PAINTER..." Blue whispered, eye-lights wide and bright with wonder. Sans took a step towards you with a smile, his own eye lights gleaming. 

"used the star map i gave you, huh?"

You shrugged dismissively, mirroring his grin. "Maybe a little bit."

Blue's hands suddenly clapped onto your shoulders. "THIS IS PERFECT!!! THIS HAS TO BE THE PRETTIEST THING I'VE EVER SEEN!" 

The compliment was endearing, but you smirked and put a finger up. "You haven't even seen the best part!"

You reached over and flicked off the light, and everyone went silent as they took in the shimmering lights. Not only were all the stars and constellations painted with glow-in-the-dark paint, but you made sure to add gentle surges of it through-out the galaxies, like gusts of wind blowing through the cosmos.

Blue's eye lights practically overflowed his sockets, and they slowly flicked around, taking in the glowing stars speckled across the room before landing on you again. You smiled kindly, genuinely, and put your hand over his gloved ones, still resting on your shoulder. "I'm so glad you like it."

\--

"THIS CALLS FOR A CELEBRATION!" Papyrus had announced as you all paraded back down the stairs to the living room. "I SAY WE HAVE A NICE DINNER TOGETHER. MAYBE EVEN INVITE SKULL AND CROOKS?"

He looked over at Mutt, who didn't seem to be expecting any sort of conversation. He seemed to realize why Papyrus was asking him specifically, then shrugged indifferently. "i don't care."

Sans immediately slumped back onto the couch, arms behind his head. "why don't we have blue cook this time?" he suggested. "it was his room, after all."

Blue lit up at the idea. "OH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT! PAPYRUS, EDGE? SINCE THINGS TEND TO GET A BIT..." He looked at the two in question. Papyrus's head was tilted inquisitively, and Edge had a fierce scowl. "...EXPLOSIVE... ANYTIME YOU TWO ARE IN THE KITCHEN, WHY DON'T YOU FETCH SKULL AND CROOKS FROM THEIR CABIN?"

Edge guffawed, offended at the request. "WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO, GET ME CLEAVED? THOSE LUNATICS WOULD TRY TO CHEW ON ME LIKE A RAWHIDE IF I SO MUCH AS SNEEZE THE WRONG WAY AROUND THEM."

Blue nodded. "WHICH IS WHY I'M SENDING PAPYRUS WITH YOU."

Edge stared at him with wide sockets before falling into an irritated silence.

Blue turned to you, donning a smile that reached his eye sockets. "PAINTER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO HELP ME?"

The offer surprised you, but you grinned after a second. "I actually was planning on touching up some of the paint in your room. I want everything to look as vivid as possible before I apply the sealant tonight."

His smile drooped, but Black clapped a hand on his shoulder, grinning. "I SUPPOSE IT'S TIME FOR ME TO HEROICALLY SWOOP IN AND OFFER MY ASSISTANCE?"

You gestured at the black-clad skeleton. "See? Black can help you! He's leagues better at cooking than I am," you said with a chuckle.

He look a little down, but nodded all the same. "WELL, I'LL CALL YOU DOWN FOR DINNER WHEN IT'S READY."

You thanked him and turned on your heel, taking the stairs two at a time.

The past two weeks had been a bit of a blur, but you'd slowly found yourself moving back to your old state of mind. After numerous phone calls from your landlord, your mother, and Alphys, you and Sans had sat down and hashed out a plan to get you back on your feet. He'd let you stay, rent-free, as long as you contributed to the household and were making a conscious effort to earn enough money to purchase an apartment. 

You'd readily agreed, and doubled down on your website to try to pull in any potential customers you could. Papyrus was kind enough to gift you some paints and canvases that sat in the back of his closet, and you had already used them for two commissions in that week alone, before using that money to buy more supplies.

But more than anything, you were glad to be surrounded by such kind people. While Edge hadn't made any deliberate effort to warm up to you and Skull and Crooks hadn't visited since you moved in, everyone else treated you nicely. The food was great, there was always something going on, and the boys were nothing but accommodating once you got back to work.

You knew that you'd never get used to a large household, with everybody moving and planning around each other, but you had a feeling you'd miss it when you left. Whenever that was.

Apartment hunting had left you so burnt out. Realistically, you knew that half the rooms listed wouldn't be available when you actually had the money to move in(which, by Sans's estimate, would be a couple of months), but the large prices and various, lengthy restrictions limited your selection to a few sketchy buildings and apartments that you knew would be gone in a week.

All in all, you simply resigned yourself to pulling in as much money as you could and hoping for the best.

You opened Blue's door, pausing a second to soak in the room. Your hard work was absolutely worth it, and hours spent, hunched over, spraying paint and blending colors led to a beautiful, seamless miasma of colors. Like you had told Blue, you still wanted to add one more layer of glow-in-the-dark paint to the stars before adding the sealing top coat, but besides that, you were insanely satisfied with your work.

You padded to the small stepstool you kept tucked in the corner by Blue's closet, unfolded it, and set it down in front of the window. Outside, the light-blue sky was full of thick fluffy clouds, highlighting the trees as they slowly transitioned from green to the colors of fall. A thin blanket of leaves already covered the forest floor, but Papyrus had diligently raked any that fell in the front lawn.

You sighed and leaned down, picking up a small brush and a pan of off-white paint.

There weren't too many stars, thank god, but having to reposition the stool so often while getting each dot of the ceiling was a bit tiresome. Still, you filled in each star, constellation, and comet.

You were folding the stepping stool back up, admiring the sunset, when Blue opened the door. With him, wafting up from the kitchen, was the delicious scent of food that made your stomach growl. Blue smiled at you.

"DINNER'S READY, AS YOU CAN TELL. CROOKS AND SKULL ARE HERE, TOO." He must have seen the slight shift in your expression and put a hand up. "NO WORRIES. I MADE THEM PROMISE THEY'D BE ON THEIR BEST BEHAVIOUR."

You smiled at him, setting the stool down before crossing the room. Your socked feet were almost silent on the wooden floors, a juxtaposition to the crinkling tarp you were used to. Blue took a second to admire the room, before closing the door behind him. 

His grin turned a bit mischievous, and he bowed, flourishing his hand out for you to take like a prince. You cocked a brow playfully, and he looked at you with one eye closed. "SHALL WE, M'LADY?"

You chuckled, before slipping your hand into his. Hands clasped and swinging between the two of you, Blue led you down the stairs, his face dusted with azure and his smile wide.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys know that one audio where the lady walks in and she's like "Hey!...How ya'll doin'?" and everyone just silently stares at her, judging her? Yeah, that's how I feel. After that huge bomb last chapter, I hit a hard writer's block. I didn't know at all how I'd pick up from that, so I just kinda fearfully avoided my computer.  
> Then, a couple days ago, I realized I hadn't touched my laptop in two months and decided I had to get back into the groove of things. I wrote a couple short stories (which I posted in Kintsukuroi, ya'll should go check it out) and wrote out a plan for the next couple of chapters, eventually writing this out.  
> In other news, we are close to hitting so many milestones!! 986 kudos, 198 bookmarks, and 16932 hits???? YA'LL I AM THRIVING!  
> Thank you guys so much for supporting this story and I look forwards to all your comments and feedback! Love ya'll <:)


	35. Appetizers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As you get downstairs, you realize something's holding up dinner.  
> *At least you get to talk to Crooks.

The living room was bustling with activity as the two of you made your way down the stairs. Stretch was standing at the entrance and perked up when he noticed you. You waved at him with your free hand, grinning.

"we've got a full house," he remarked, gesturing to the living room. Skull, Sans, and Red sat on the couch, none looking fully awake. A few taller skeletons were bustling around in the kitchen. 

You noticed a certain pair of skeletons were missing. "Where's Black and Mutt?" you asked.

Stretched snorted and Blue shook his head, letting go of your hand. It felt cold in his absence. "MUTT GOT DISTRACTED," he stated simply. You cocked a brow.

"Distracted?"

Stretch laughed louder this time. "h-he saw a cat out the window and ran off after it. his brother went after him."

You put a hand to your mouth to stifle the laugh that almost bubbled out. There's no way Mutt actually ran after a cat- it seems his name fits him much more than you thought.

Blue waved a hand. "I'M SURE THEY'LL BE BACK SOON- BLACK CAN USUALLY CHASE HIS BROTHER DOWN FAIRLY QUICKLY."

You blanched. "This has happened before?"

"yep," Stretch said, trying to hold back his laughter. "he- he usually runs a-after squirrels-!" he fails, and busts out laughing. Red, stirred from the semi-slumber he was in on the couch, sat up and looked at you over the arm.

"what's bean-pole laughin' at?" he asked, voice lower than usual, heavy with sleep.

Blue pinched the bridge of his nasal-ridge. "MUTT'S LATEST ADVENTURE."

Red choked out a laugh. "oh, yeah, that shit was funny. he saw the thing sittin' out on the patio and launched himself at it." He looked at the sliding doors leading to the back yard. "he forgot the glass door was there. collided head-first with the damn thing before he opened it and chased it into the woods."

You unconsciously brought a hand up to your forehead. _That_ must have hurt.

From the kitchen, Papyrus peaked his head out. "OH! PAINTER, ARE YOU FINISHED FOR THE NIGHT?"

You nodded. "Dinner's ready, right?"

Above him, Crooks's head poked out. He watched you uneasily, his small eye-sockets dark and sunken. Sat on his nasal ridge was a pair of round glasses, making his eyes look bigger. You smiled at him- he hesitantly smiled back.

"THE KITCHEN'S FULL OF FOOD," said Papyrus with a grin. "WE'RE JUST WAITING ON MUTT AND BLACK TO COME BACK AND WE'LL ALL SIT DOWN."

"don't see why we gotta wait on 'em to eat," said a low voice right beside you. Your head jerked to the side to look up at Skull. How had he moved so quietly?

"IT'S POLITE," Papyrus insisted. "WE CAN WAIT A FEW MINUTES, SKULL. DINNER WON'T GROW LEGS AND WALK AWAY."

Skull huffed, but said nothing. You had a feeling that if it was someone besides Mutt, he would have pushed it. 

He turned away from Papyrus to stare you down. You gulped, wondering if this was going to be a repeat of the last dinner. 

His perma-grin became a bit softer, and he pointed at the kitchen. "you should go check out the kitchen- it's packed. blue here made a little bit of everything." 

He looked at the kitchen, an odd emotion in his eyes. "everyone's gonna eat tonight."

"IF THOSE MORONS DON'T GET BACK SOON, WE MIGHT NOT!" exclaimed Edge, stomping out of the kitchen. A familiar pink apron was tied around his waist. "I SWEAR, HE ALWAYS DOES THIS."

Finally, Sans stired from the couch. "you gotta admit, edge- it was kinda funny."

Edge scoffed. "OH, YOU'RE NOT GONNA THINK IT'S FUNNY WHEN I SHOVE MY BOOT UP HIS-"

"HEY, HEY, ENOUGH!" Blue interjected. "THERE'S NO REASON TO BE CRASS, EDGE."

"CRASS?" the taller skeleton repeated. "OH, I'M SORRY I'M ANGRY MUTT HAD TO CHASE A GOD-FORSAKEN _CAT_ INTO THE DAMN WOODS FIVE MINUTES BEFORE DINNER."

Blue rolled his eyes. "IT'S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD. WE CAN WAIT A FEW MINUTES!"

Edge threw his arms out exasperatedly. "HE'S MAKING US WAIT FOR DINNER, BLUE! DINNER!"

You noticed Stretch slowly trying to shuffle up the stairs, and you decided that you didn't want each dinner you had with the skeletons to start with an argument.

"Guys, please," you began, resting a hand on Blue's shoulder. "I'm sure Black and Mutt will be back soon. There's no reason to fight over it."

Edge held your gaze for a long moment, before sighing and looking away. "FINE, FINE. UGH, YOU HUMANS- ALWAYS TRYING TO AVOID CONFLICT. YOU'RE ALL SO SOFT."

You shrugged, not phased by the comment. Now that the argument had been avoided, Papyrus leaned out of the kitchen again.

"HUMAN! WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE WHAT WE'VE COOKED UP?" he asked, waving you over with a hand. Grinning, you passed Edge and entered the kitchen.

The smells were heavenly, and you awed at the sight of both long countertops filled with food. A pair of casseroles, vibrant leafy greens, and a golden-brown pan of cornbread, all sitting on towels with steam coiling above them.

To the side, you noticed Crooks setting down a pot of baked beans, and smiled again when he looked down and met your gaze. The glasses he wore were taped to the sides of his skull and were adorably askew ever-so-slightly.

You two held eye-contact for a long moment before he seemed to snap out of something and duck his head down.

"PARDON MY STARING," he said, trying to avoid meeting your gaze again. "I JUST... I'M NOT QUITE USED TO BEING AROUND HUMANS."

You shook your head. "It's alright. Being on the surface must be a lot to take in, even though you guys got up here a while ago."

He was quiet for a long moment, seemingly deep in thought.

"...Y-YES, THAT'S IT. IT'LL... TAKE A WHILE." He cleared his throat. "I, UHM, ACTUALLY WANTED TO ASK SOMETHING OF YOU."

You cocked your head. 

"WELL, I'VE RECENTLY BEEN MADE AWARE OF A HUMAN CONCEPT CALLED "SUGAR SKULLS". I THINK THEY LOOK REALLY PRETTY- DO YOU KNOW OF THEM?" he asked, scratching his cheek with a finger.

Grinning, you nodded. Ever since you first met the skeletons, you'd wanted to paint their skulls. Of course, wanting to paint them is one thing. Asking? A completely different, more than likely incredibly awkward ball-park.

"I've always wanted to try something like that! I have so many ideas- if you're interested in trying, so am I!"

His face lit up, the crooked teeth in his mouth settling against each other in a way that couldn't have been comfortable as he smiled. "WHY DON'T WE TRY-"

You were interrupted by the sliding door being thrown open, and the other conversations in the living room puttered out.

You peaked around the corner to see Black and Mutt standing in the doorway.

Black looked tired and _pissed_ , his arms were crossed and his eye-lights were dull. There was a tight scowl on his face.

In front of him stood Mutt. He was covered in leaves and twigs, mud caked on one side of his skull. His face held a victorious, smug grin and his chest was puffed out.

And, held in his arms, was more than likely the fluffiest cat you've ever seen. Despite the patches of dirt that covered it, its fur was a solid white. Along its sides and back were gnarls and large knots of fur.

Its eyes were an unusually deep red, and one of its ears were missing. It yawned, and when it closed its mouth, a pair of tiny fangs poked out under its upper lip.

Mutt looked out over the small crowd gawking at him and smiled easily, shifting the cat so he could wave non-committedly.

"what i miss?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *rubs hands together* FINALLY. the best character of undertale history has been introduced. i'm thriving  
> Mutt: *is named mutt*  
> Mutt: *has some vaguely dog-like mannerisms from hanging out with the dogs of snowdin all the time*  
> Mutt: *chases a cat*  
> Black: *surprised Pikachu face*


	36. Doomfanger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Mutt's return, the members of the household have various reactions to the newest, fluffiest resident.  
> *You're worried about Mutt and Skull.

There was a comedic silence that hung in the air as the small crowd of skeletons and yourself stared at the man, who lazily scratched at his face. He was holding the cat around the middle, its legs hanging down and its two front paws digging their claws into the sleeve of his jacket. You could hear a pin drop in this quiet.

"FUCKING REALLY." Edge finally spoke, his eyebrows furrowed. "ALL THIS FUCKING WAIT AND YOU BRING A DIRTY-ASS CAT INTO OUR HOUSE RIGHT BEFORE DINNER."

Mutt seemed to realize he was holding the cat, and let it drop to the floor. It landed easily and started looking around, sniffing at Mutt's mud-caked boots before hesitantly padding around the expanse of the dining room. 

Edge stared at it much like a maid would a stain on the carpet, lifting his boot as the cat tried to examine it. "YOU'RE JUST LETTING IT WALK AROUND? IS NO ONE GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT?"

The dirt-covered skeleton chuckled, his brother glaring up at him. "i dunno, edge... i think she likes you."

Edge scoffed at the statement and grabbed the cat by the scruff of her neck, bringing it to level with his glowing red eyes. You almost felt worried that Edge might hurt it, but bit the feeling down. You didn't think he'd hurt a cat.

"LIKE ME? DON'T BE-"

He was cut off by the cat placing one of her paws on his cheek, just over the scars that clawed their way down the side of his face. Her dirty, white fur matched the off-white shade of his skull perfectly. 

He stared at the cat for a moment. It yawned again, more than likely tired from being chased by Mutt, and her fangs poked out over her chops. Her eyes, which originally looked red, were actually a deep brownish-orange, painted incarnadine by the warm lighting of the house.

Edge's glowing eye-lights expanded a bit in his socket.

"...RIDICULOUS."

\--

After Edge seemed to bend a bit to the cat's will, Papyrus had beat Mutt with a dish towel and insisted he take a shower before he ate. Edge disappeared upstairs shortly after with the cat in his arms, chuckling to himself.

Black washed his hands, as they were caked in dirt, shaking his head the whole time. You propped your elbows up on the counter, sharing small talk with him as he scrubbed the grime from between his claws.

"Red said that Mutt does stuff like this often. Is that true?"

Black scoffed, not looking up from the sink. "UNFORTUNATELY, YES. MY BROTHER GREW UP WITH..." he squinted, "LESS THAN SAVORY INFLUENCES- BESIDES THE RABBIT SQUADRANT OF THE ROYAL GUARD, OUR PART OF THE UNDERGROUND WAS TEEMING WITH DOGS."

You chuckled a little bit. "Huh, a guy named Mutt who acts like a dog? That's a little silly."

He looked at you oddly. "HIS NAME..." He then seemed to catch himself. "OH, RIGHT, RIGHT, PURELY ACCIDENTAL, NOTHING INTENDED, JUST A FUNNY LITTLE COINCIDENCE. NOTHING ODD OR OUT OF PLACE HERE."

Was he sweating?

"Right..." you trailed off. 

There was a moment of silence, only filled by the sound of water running, before Black sighed. "I'M ADMITTEDLY SURPRISED SKULL DECIDED TO SHOW UP. WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON BETWEEN HE AND MY BROTHER."

You voiced your agreement. You don't think Black nor yourself completely understood what was going on between the two of them, but you're glad Skull isn't trying to avoid Mutt.

"Do you think Mutt's going to give him a chance, though?" you asked, handing him a towel so he could dry his hands. He huffed in thought.

"REALISTICALLY? NO. MY SLOUCH OF A BROTHER IS MUCH TO STUBBORN TO JUST LET IT SLIDE. BUT..." He looked at Skull, who was looking up at Crooks contently as the taller skeleton rambled on. "HE AND SKULL ARE FRIENDS. AND I KNOW MY BROTHER VALUES THAT."

Just then, Blue walked into the kitchen, waving at the two of you before bending down to check on something in the oven. "IT'S BEEN AN EVENTFUL DAY, HASN'T IT? WE HAVEN'T EVEN HAD DINNER YET!"

Black laughed dryly. "RIGHT YOU ARE- AND I FEEL LIKE WE MIGHT GET A SHOW WITH OUR DINNER, IF YOU CATCH MY MEANING."

Despite the laugh in Black's tone, Blue met his gaze with a frown. "YOU MEAN SKULL AND YOUR BROTHER, DON'T YOU?"

The slightly taller skeleton nodded. "YES, YES I DO."

You put a hand up placatingly. "I'm sure nothing bad will happen. They should be able to control themselves for one dinner, right?"

The two of them shared a look, before Black gave a bark of laughter. "SURE." And with that, he walked off, leaving you and Blue in the kitchen.

He must have seen your worried look, as he smiled and placed a hand on your shoulder. "NO NEED TO WORRY! I'M SURE THOSE TWO WILL SORT OUT THEIR DISAGREEMENT IN TIME- THEY CAN'T STAY MAD AT EACH OTHER FOREVER."

You returned his smile, placing your hand over his. "You're right. I just... I just want everyone to get along."

His brows knitted as his smile widened. "YOU WORRY ABOUT US TOO MUCH, PAINTER."

You laughed. "It's a bit difficult not to."

The two of you stayed in the kitchen, talking idly until Mutt came back downstairs. Papyrus immediately began chastising him for making everyone late for dinner, before calling everyone to the dining room.

Soon, plates full of food were being set on the table, people conversing as chairs were pulled back and silverware clinked against dishware. Everyone passed plates, sat down, and realized one of the chairs were empty.

"...where's edge?" Sans asked, looking at Red. The larger skeleton rolled his eyes exasperatedly as footsteps thundered down the stairs.

"I'M RIGHT HERE!"

Edge turned the corner, a large grin on his face. The cat sat in his arms, her fur somewhat tamed and slightly cleaner. Around her neck was a black spiked collar that looked much too big on her. She seemed to be teetering on the edge of sleep, her eyes drooping as she reclined in the skeleton's hold.

"I INTRODUCE YOU WEAKLINGS TO... DOOMFANGER!" he proudly proclaimed. Out of the corner of your eyes, you saw Mutt taking pictures with his phone.

"you gave it a bath?" Red asked, rubbing his face. "and that's one of my collars! did'ja take that from my room?"

Edge waved him off. "WHERE I GOT IT FROM IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. IT'S HERS NOW, AND THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT."

Red stared at him, eye twitching. "are you gonna sit down fer dinner or what?"

"YES," he answered, striding over. "YES WE ARE."

He sat down at his spot, the cat snug in his lap. Papyrus quietly greeted it.

"no- no, no," Red said, waving his hand. "no cats at the table. fangdoomer or whatever might have fleas or some shit."

Edge looked at him like he threw his prized trophies into a dumpster fire. "FIRST OF ALL- IT'S "DOOMFANGER"! SECONDLY, SHE DOES _NOT_ HAVE FLEAS!"

"no, fuck that! i don't trust anything that _he_ -" Red pointed and Mutt, who had been making faces at the cat from across the table, "-brings into this house from the woods."

The said skeleton looked down dejectedly. "i actually caught it this time..."

Edge and Red glared each other down for a moment, before the taller brother huffed. "FINE! SHE'LL BE IN MY ROOM- SHE DIDN'T WANT TO BE AT THE DINNER ANYWAYS!"

Everyone watched as he stood, the cat still leisurely relaxing in his grip, and stomped up the stairs.

There was a thick silence that hung in the air, before you turned to Red. "That... was a bit harsh."

He shrugged. "don't care. no way in hell i'm eatin' dinner wit' a cat. those things are the worst."

"i liked it," said Mutt, still a bit saddened. "i brought it back and everything."

Black placed a hand on his shoulder. "IT'S FINE, BROTHER." He looked at Red, a glint of something evil in his eye. "I SUPPOSE HE JUST WASN'T _FELINE _IT."__

__

__There was a baited silence, before a chorus of groans from various skeletons at the table._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back!!! I hyper fixated on fnaf for a while (which-- yeah, I'm not gonna post any of those writings) due to the hype on the new game, but the release of Bonely Hearts Club got me back in my groove! that game is phenomenal, even though its only got the intro, and has sooo much potential. idk if they're still looking for writers or artists, but you can find their tumblr blog and send them loads of support!! and on my tumblr, I've got a little art for the new chap if you want to check it out here (https://coasilous03.tumblr.com/post/637096189158883328/not-only-have-i-returned-to-updating-my-fanfic). anyways, mutt is baby, blue is baby, edge is baby, and red is stink rat man. i rest my case


	37. Aftershow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a bit of intervention after dinner.  
> *You hope Black and Crooks know what they're doing.

Edge came back downstairs moments later with a scowl on his face, and the eleven of you finally dug into dinner. There were chili dogs, a pan of golden brown cornbread, and loads of vegetables, along with bottles of wine. Much like last time, Red had managed to sneak Mutt and himself amber whiskey, which Black conveniently overlooked.

Since the dinner was celebrating you finishing your job, a lot of the conversation was about you. It was odd, as you were unfamiliar with being the center of attention in this house.

"WELL, NOW THAT YOUR WORK'S DONE, YOU HAVE MORE TIME TO RELAX AND HANG OUT WITH US!" Papyrus said, staring at you hopefully. You sighed.

"I wish that were true, but I've got other commissions to work on," you explained, taking a bite of your 'dog. "I won't be as busy, though. I'm sure we could do something together."

He deflated a little. "WHAT KIND OF COMMISSIONS?"

You shrugged, covering your mouth as you chewed. "Canvas paintings, some digital stuff, and cards, maybe- anything I can do to pull in money." You chuckled dryly. "I've got a lot of work ahead of me."

"there's no rush," said Sans from next to you. "we're not gonna kick you out or anything."

You rolled your shoulders. "Well, yeah, but I still want to get back on my feet as soon as possible."

He gave you an odd, almost piteous look before shrugging. "...suit yourself."

Papyrus cleared his throat, giving Sans a pointed look. They stared at each other oddly.

"WELL," interjected Blue, who was watching the exchange uneasily. "I'M SURE ANY OF YOUR WORK WILL BE PHENOMENAL- YOU'LL DO WONDERFUL THINGS, JUST LIKE MY ROOM." He winked, smiling. "I'LL VOUCH FOR YOU."

You smiled back with a bit of a blush, and the table returned to the comfortable conversation.

Surprisingly, dinner continued without any discourse. If Edge was still angry about the cat incident, he didn't show it (any more than he usually would), and Skull and Crooks seemed to relax around you a bit.

Once everyone's plates were cleared, it seemed like the night might go by without a hitch. Papyrus immediately started on the dishes, ushering you to sit down. You had insisted he let you help, though, and so the two of you were arm-deep in soapy water while the others meandered about. 

While most decided to relax in the living room, you couldn't help but notice Black and Crooks talking to each other at the table. Papyrus noticed your staring and slightly nudged you with his elbow.

"THEY'RE SCHEMING," he said, nodding towards the two of them.

"They're... what?" 

"PLOTTING. PLANNING. COMING UP WITH WHAT I HOPE IS A GREAT IDEA TO OVER COME THE HURDLE THEIR BROTHERS ARE FACING." He watched as Black gestured squarely with his hands, Crooks nodding sagely with his chin in his palms. "THEY'RE BOTH INCREDIBLY SMART AND INCREDIBLY CONCERNED. ...I'M SURE WHATEVER THEY HAVE PLANNED WILL WORK," he said. However, you could pick up the slightest hesitance in his voice.

"And if it doesn't?" you couldn't help but ask. Papyrus looked down at the soapy water.

"THEN WE'LL FIGURE OUT SOMETHING ELSE. WE HAVE TOO. RIGHT NOW, IT HAS ONLY EFFECTED BLACK AND CROOKS, BUT IF THIS GETS WORSE?" He let out a breath. "THE CAREFUL BALANCE WE'VE BEEN MAINTAINING MAY AS WELL HAVE BEEN FOR NOTHING."

You decided to leave it at that, worrying your lip between your teeth as the two of you resumed cleaning.

Soon enough, everyone settled down in the living room, their "stomachs" full. You settled onto the smaller couch and Stretch found your side, his leg bobbing anxiously. You slightly leaned into his side, sighing, and the motion stilled as he seemed to relax. Instead of the television turning on, Crooks and Black silently walked to stand front-and-center, their arms behind their backs.

"NOW, WHILE I KNOW WE ORIGINALLY HAD THIS DINNER TO CELEBRATE THE PAINTER'S ACHIEVEMENT," Crooks began, standing tall. "THERE WAS, ADMITTEDLY, AN ULTERIOR MOTIVE." Stretch gulped next to you.

Black stepped forwards, and you were once again reminded how much taller Crooks was. "I'M NOT GOING TO DAWDLE OR SKIRT AROUND THIS, UNLIKE CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS I KNOW." He sighed. 

"MUTT, SKULL-" The two in question looked away, both realizing what this was for. "THIS LITTLE FALLING OUT YOU TWO HAVE BEEN HAVING WAS SOMETHING I WAS WILLING TO LOOK OVER. I FIGURED YOU WOULD HAVE SETTLED IT ON YOUR OWN. FORGIVE ME FOR BEING SO HOPEFUL."

He looked down, shifting his shoulders. "BUT RECENTLY, IT HAS BEGUN INVOLVING MEMBERS OF THE HOUSEHOLD BESIDES YOU TWO, LIKE CROOKS AND MYSELF. THAT IS WHERE I PUT MY FOOT DOWN."

Mutt looked guilty, staring down at his hands. Skull's face was unsurprisingly blank. "I AM NOT AWARE OF THE ENTIRE CIRCUMSTANCE, AND FRANKLY, I DON'T WANT TO BE. I DON'T CARE IF YOU TWO ARGUE OR HATE EACH OTHER, BUT IT HAS EXPANDED PAST YOU TWO AND NOW _IS_ MY BUSINESS."

Crooks put a hand on his shoulder. "WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU TWO ARE ANGRY AND HURT- BUT WE IMPLORE YOU TO STOP AVOIDING EACH OTHER AND JUST TALK IT OUT."

"bro," Mutt finally said. "this is ridiculous."

Black met his gaze sternly. "I AM AWARE. YOU HAVEN'T LEFT US MUCH OF A CHOICE."

Mutt grunted, but said nothing. No one else had spoken, watching the exchange with baited breaths. Stretch was still beside you, and you noticed how stiff his jaw was as he watched, his eyes deceptively relaxed and lidded.

Black stared at him for a moment. "IT'S FOR YOUR OWN GOOD, BROTHER. I CARE ABOUT YOU TOO MUCH TO SIT IDLY BY, TWIDDLING MY THUMBS WHILE YOU'RE UPSET. I'M NOT THAT KIND OF MAN."

Mutt nodded. "i know," he muttered.

There was a beat of silence before Crooks cleared his throat. "BECAUSE OF THIS, WE HAVE A REQUEST- THE TWO OF YOU GO OUTSIDE AND TALK. THIS STARTED ONLY BECAUSE YOU TWO CAN'T COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER MATURELY, SO A MUTURE CONVERSATION IS HOW IT WILL END."

He gestured to the glass sliding doors just beyond the dining room table. "GO ON. WHILE IT'S STILL LIGHT OUT."

Skull stood, the fabric of his jacket rustling, and turned to look at Mutt. The skeleton in question was glaring at Black, teeth locked together tightly. "...what?"

"GO," He said, pointing to the door. Mutt's brow furrowed.

"do you really think that's gonna work?" he asked, voice tight and thin. "that you're gonna make us go outside like some sorta _pet_ and we're just gonna clear everything up?"

He laughed dryly, shoulders bouncing. His tone made an awful pit in your stomach grow. This coldness, this anger- this was the one thing you were trying to avoid. The skeleton next to you shifted in his seat anxiously, and you found his hand, holding it comfortingly.

"you're fuckin hilarious," he drawled. Crooks' face held a mix of shock and annoyance, and Black was meeting his glare cooly. "if- if we do that, he's gonna give some big ass tear-jerker 'bout caring too much an' wantin' me to be safe, and you guys are gonna get pissed at me for not buyin' it."

He turned his gaze to Skull, who couldn't look more stoic despite Mutt's harsh words to his brother. "news flash, genius: you're not the only one who had to deal with a few scraps and a little dust." His eye-lights were bright, full of anger and hardness. "you an' i lived with two different kinds of death."

Black watched on, saying nothing. You saw what could almost be called guilt in his eyes. "i'm not yer brother, an' im not yer kid. i don't give a shit about you protectin' me 'cuz i can damn well do it myself."

Skull's mouth was a tight line. "i still care," he rumbled. "...i always-"

"i don't wanna hear it," Mutt interjected, bowing his head. "that crap's bullshit... 's the same thing you always say."

"it's the truth."

"...why?" Mutt asked, his voice much weaker than you expected. "why should you care? we've known each other _maybe_ two months and, what, you've already taken me under your wing?" This sort of vulnerability, in front of everyone else, was the last thing you anticipated. You wished this weren't happening the way it was, but still felt relief this was happening at all.

Skull stared, his incarnadine eye wavering in its socket. "i'd do it for anyone of you."

You sucked in a breath, fingers digging into your knee, as a single wet droplet fell from Mutt's face to the floor. His hands were clenched into fists at his sides. "then why me?" came his quiet reply.

When Skull hesitated to answer, Mutt threw his hands out. Odd purple streaks ran down his face, collecting in droplets on his chin before disappearing as they fell onto his sweater. " _why me?_ "

Skull stared at Mutt in shock at the outburst. Stretch gasped, and Black's eyes widened, his pupils growing smaller in the black caverns. "why do you care? i don't- i... it's just been me and my bro. i don't... _need_ anyone else to... t-to..." He puttered off. "...i don't get it."

There was an awful, heavy silence. Black shuffled over to Mutt, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"where we came from," Skull began, catching everyone's attention. "we knew strength in numbers. you... you never knew which of your friends would still be alive when you woke up in the mornin'."

He seemed to be searching for the right words. "an' you know how that feels. bein' up here, i-..." He sighed. "i'm... scared. the surface is teeming with humans; it's full of risks. i fear those- it's how i survived. you don't."

He shrugged. "sure, you might have seen a human or two fall down, but i dealt with them monthly. they're shifty creatures- they'll do anything to get what they want."

You wilted, looking away. You knew Skull wasn't talking directly about you, and he's probably only experienced the worst of humanity, but he still struck a chord. Stretch squeezed your hand, but when you looked up at him, he wasn't looking back.

"i know the surface is different..." he nodded to the side, "an' yeah, i'm not all there... but it's one of the ways the underground changed me. it's the only useful habit i've got."

"...a habit, huh?" Mutt repeated. "...hell of a habit."

Skull snorted. "...yeah."

Black patted Mutt's shoulder before giving him a small push forwards. "TAKE THIS OUTSIDE, ALRIGHT? YOU TWO DON'T NEED AN AUDIENCE."

Mutt looked at his brother, then back to Skull, before letting out a breath and nodding. Sitting lazily in the beanbag, Red gave Mutt a thumbs-up as he trudged past.

Shoulder-to-shoulder, they walked to the door, letting it slide shut behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY. These morons have been dancing around each other like they're in the semi-finals of DWTS. ughg  
> I hope the sudden emotion wasn't too ooc, but I wanted a few tears *rubs hands together evilly*. now that the drama is hopefully under the table between skull and mutt, we can finally get some high-quality skeleton fluff. maybe a date...? ;)  
> we're slowly approaching a huge milestone, 25000 hits!! i have a couple ideas for how we'll celebrate it, but what ideas do you guys have?


	38. On The Porch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After an eventful evening, you spend some time on the porch.  
> *How are they both so sweet?

With the two subjects of the intervention out of the house, the evening carried on. Blue had closed the curtain to the sliding glass door for Mutt and Skull's privacy and a delicious pumpkin pie had been served. You all sat in the living room, watching some calculator-esque robot whose name you couldn't remember dance around with a chainsaw. 

You couldn't help but focus on Stretch, though, who had been in the same spot on the couch all night. You had gotten a slice of pie for him, but he hadn't touched it, zoning out and bobbing his leg with his hands shoved deep in his pockets. 

A few minutes ago, _someone_ had said _something_ about the show you all were watching, and now the central source of entertainment was watching Edge and Black verbally duke it out in front of the television. The argument had stretched on, and at this point you were worried Stretch might be hyperventilating (if a skeleton could even do that.)

The yelling reached a new volume as Edge slammed a hand down on the table, and Stretch stood stiffly, nearly tripping over the beanbag as he pushed himself through the front door. You stared after him, then shared a worried glance with Red, who had been sleeping on the beanbag. Doomfanger sat in his lap, something he begrudgingly agreed to at the request of his brother. Wordlessly, he gave you an expectant look and nodded towards the door.

The sun was almost finished setting, and the sky was a cool, dark blue. Shadowy clouds stretched in a grid across the greying sky, and stars were beginning to twinkle next to a crescent moon. Stretch sat on the porch steps, one leg bouncing as he looked out into the forest. Smoke curled above him, fading into the dusk. Silently, you sat next to him.

You two were silent for a long moment, the only sound being the occasional gentle inhale and exhale as Stretch smoked. He finished the first one and reached into his pocket for the box, pulling one out and fumbling with his lighter. Once the cherry began burning, he took a deep inhale and sighed, the smoke rolling from between his teeth.

"i, uh..." he began, holding the cigarette between two fingers as he stared forwards. "didn't... didn't like a-all the noise."

You nodded, turning away from him and gazing at the trees. You could barely make anything out, the night only illuminated by the yellow porch light. Moths fluttered around its pulsing bulb, drawn to its heat. Cicadas buzzed from their perches on thick oak trees, calling out into the hot darkness. "I get that. I guess everyone has a little tension tonight, with... you know."

He grunted. "y-yeah."

There was another silence, but it was peaceful and relaxed. Slowly, he worked through the second cigarette. You wondered how you could even smoke as a skeleton, but chalked it up to magic. He reached the butt and threw it on the ground, grinding it down with the heel of his dirty sneakers until the red cherry was burnt out and black.

The night was dark, and stars twinkled in the night sky. An owl called in the distance, and a gentle wind rustled the trees. You could easily fall asleep out here, lulled by the sounds of the forest. It seemed Stretch had the same idea as he yawned, reaching his arms up above his head.

Right as his mouth closed, there was more shouting from in the house, and he cringed. "...i can't stand all the shouting," he muttered. "they're so loud..."

You regarded him nonchalantly. "We could stay out here a little longer," you smiled. He stared back at you for a moment, weighing his options, before another yawn overtook him. Grumbling a bit, he scootched over a bit, hesitating before resting his head on your shoulder. You said nothing, touching your foreheads together as you stared out into the night.

"...thank you," he mumbled, and you could already feel his face heating up. "f-for stayin' out here with me." His voice was low and rumbling, a murmur so close to your ear.

"...yeah. No problem," you replied. 

"i-i just- you don't _have_ to, a-and..." His head shifted beside you before he lifted his head to look at you. Turning, he was _so_ close, staring at you. You could see the lightest eye lights in his sockets and feel his breath faintly on your lips. "you don't have to be nice."

You smiled, and he watched your lips curl up. "I know, but... you deserve a little company."

His flush deepened a bit, and your breath stuttered a bit as you felt his hand settle at the back of your neck. He leaned a little bit more, your lips a breath's length from his teeth, your eyes not leaving each other. He took in every detail of your skin, of your warm lips, before he sucked in a breath-

-and pulled away, fidgeting with the string of his hoodie. "i-i, uh, i shouldn't have-" he looked down, his blush spreading down his neck. "s-sorry, i-... sorry."

You shook off your shock, waving your hands fervently. "No, no- you're fine, Stretch-"

He stood stiffly, shaking his head. "no, i-i shouldn't- i..." He puttered off before grunting in frustration and turning, almost tripping on the edge of the doorway as he scurried off into the house. You stared at the door long after it shut, the wind blowing a few locks of hair into your face. 

...did he just try to kiss you?

Your face went beet red and you turned away from the door, heart racing. Why were all these skeletons so charming?

After a few more moments of silence, the door quietly opened. You turned, not knowing who to expect, and let relief wash over you as Sans closed the door behind him. Slowly, he puttered to the steps and sat down next to you.

"eventful night, huh?" he asked nonchalantly.

"Yeah," you breathed. "Very."

"glad that those two are finally talkin' things out. it's going _tibia_ long conversation." You could hear the grin in his voice.

You snorted, shaking your head despite the smile on your face. "You're the worst."

Sans shrugged. "i try."

You fell into momentary silence, before a question arose in your head. "Do, uh, do you know what Skull was talking about? I... I thought the underground was peaceful- he talked about it like it was a war zone."

Sans visibly stiffened, but it only lasted a moment. "he lived in a different part of it. all of us kinda... lived in different places down there." He wasn't meeting your gaze. "not sure what went down in his neck of the woods, but... it was harsh."

You stared at him for a moment before sighing. "I could tell. He's... got a thing with food, right?"

Sans nodded. "yeah."

"Well, at least things are getting resolved," you said. "Hopefully this means a lot less tension."

He nodded. "it should." He cleared his throat. "i hope this shit hasn't been distracting you from your work. last thing you need right now."

You shook your head, smiling at him. "Not much. I'm happy I finished with Blue's room so I can really get to work now. The more time I have for painting, the better."

Sans's smile twitched. "y'know, you don't have to push yourself- we're not in a hurry to get rid of you."

"Well," you sighed, "I don't want to be a freeloader. That's not me."

"you're not," he replied, more seriously than you anticipated. His face was painted a light shade of blue. "we... we like having you here."

Your face went a little pink, and your smile fell in momentary surprise before widening. "And I like staying here."

His grin softened, and he bumped his shoulder against yours. A light gush of wind blew through the trees, stirring up the birds and the leaves and the cicadas to continue singing their songs into the deep blue night. "then there's no problem."

\--

You're not sure when you fell asleep, but you awoke in your room. Moonlight streamed from the window behind you, the curtains open and the glass shut. It illuminated a figure sat at the edge of your bed, hunched over staring at its hands.

It was silent for a long moment, before its shoulders rose and fell as he sighed. The stout figure stood from your bed, wrapped in a thick blue jacket. 

Sans turned to stare at your still body for a second, before turning back and leaving, letting the door quietly shut behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ive realized that, for a romance fanfic, there's been an awful lack of romance. and though I love good plot and character building as much as the next guy, I just want a lil skeleromance. so here we are.

**Author's Note:**

> Heya, thanks for readin'! I've got a tumblr @coasilous03 if ya'll wanna ask me about the story or keep tabs on updates. My other story, Stick to the Plan, is currently *not* ongoing, but who knows. Maybe I'll pick it up in two years like a newly hired, starry-eyed teen cashier who doesn't yet know the horrors of retail. Edit 4.5.20.: Realized I was basically writing the lodge and was kinda sad but I like the lodge trope so I'll stick with it. There are some obvious differences from Lulu's (and, by extension, TyrantTortoise's) rendition of the skeleton lodge, but I'd die for their stories and I'd die for this trope.


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